TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Otto Beatty, Jr. 1940–2021 Civic Leader, Former Ohio State Representative, Attorney
By Aaron Williams
administration from Howard University. He later earned a J.D. from The Ohio State University College of Law, where he was the only African American in his class. A longtime attorney and civic leader in Columbus, OH, Beatty was the first African-American to buy blocks of downtown Columbus property, includ- ing High Street, where he opened one of the largest Black law practices in Ohio. Early in Beatty's legal career, he was involved in many landmark legal cases and appeared before the Supreme Court on such civil liberties as the right to obtain a bond for release in criminal cases in Ohio. Beatty also was a significant pres- ence in Ohio politics for decades. Voters elected Beatty to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1979, and he served eighteen years. He was a powerful advo- cate for minority businesses, affirmative action, and the disadvantaged. Beatty was a key sponsor creation of House Bill 584 that opened the doors for minority businesses in Ohio. He was a member of many committees, including Finance and Appropriations; Health, Retire- ment, and Aging; Rules; and Reference; and the Agriculture and Development Subcommittee. He also served as special counsel to the State Attorney General. A longtime leader in the state Demo- cratic Party, Beatty, led the statewide Get Out the Vote initiatives for years. He served as the chairman of the Frank- lin County Democratic Central Com- mittee and as a member of the executive committee board. Beatty was a former chairman of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and a former president of the Franklin County Trial Lawyers Association. He was a member of the National Associa- tion of Defense Lawyers, the American
and Columbus Bar Associations, the National Conference of Black Lawyers, the American and Ohio Trial Lawyers Associations, and the Columbus Area Black Elected Officials. He was also a past Chairman of the Board for Columbus State Community College, past chair of Robert Elliot Law Club, Sigma Gamma Psi (Boule'), and a generous supporter of the King Arts Complex and donor of the land to the City of Columbus for the creation of the Mayme Moore Park, in honor of his grandmother. He was a lifetime mem- ber of the N.A.A.C.P. Beatty received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Ohio Dominican University bestowed an honorary doctorate of laws. Most recently, the Columbus City Council awarded him the James Poindexter Award in 2020. Brother Otto Beatty, Jr. was preceded in death by his parents and grandmother. He is survived by U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH); son, Otto (Chris- tie Angel) Beatty, III, Esq. (Ann Arbor- Ypsilanti (MI) Alumni 1992); daughter, Judge Laurel Beatty (Richard II) Blunt; grandchildren, Leah and Spencer Blunt; and a host of relatives, close friends, constituents, and colleagues. House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, "Otto Beatty was a true public servant, someone who dedicated his life to fight for the disadvantaged and marginalized people of our state, ensuring they, too, have the opportunity to pursue their American dream right here in Ohio. Otto Beatty was a friend to working people, an advocate for minority businesses and a champion for Ohio families. He made a difference in the lives of countless people across our state. I am proud to have known him, and am even luckier to have called him a friend. He will be missed.”
F ormer Ohio state represen- tative and Columbus civic leader, Brother Otto Beatty, Jr. (Xi 1960) transitioned peacefully to the Chapter Invisible on Friday, May 14, 2021. The office of Michael DeWine, the Ohio governor, released the fol- lowing statement, “Otto Beatty, Jr. was a dedicated public servant who worked to make things better for the Central Ohio community and the state. He was a proud father, a successful lawyer, a businessman and a community leader. And, he loved being able to spend time with family and friends on our beautiful Lake Erie. “Otto was a wise and respected public servant. His death is a great loss to Ohio. He will be deeply missed, but his legacy lives on through his family and their dedica- tion to public service. Fran and I extend our deepest condolences to Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and are keeping the entire Beatty family in our thoughts and prayers." He was born in Columbus, OH, on January 26, 1940, to the late Otto Beatty, Sr. and Myrna Harriet (née Moore) Beatty and grew up in a family dedicated to community advocacy, politics, civil and voting rights, and entrepreneurship. Grow- ing up in Columbus, he attended local schools and graduated from University High School. He left Co- lumbus to attend college in Wash- ington, D.C., where he earned a B.A. and an M.A. degree in business
214 | SUMMER 2021 ♦ THE JOURNAL
VIRTUAL 85 TH GRAND CHAPTER MEETING
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