LANSING, MI – Michigan Civil Rights Commission Chair Matthew Wesaw
comments regarding the untimely death of Michigan Department of Civil Rights Director Kelvin W. Scott on Saturday, February 20, 2010.
“It greatly saddens me to announce the unfortunate passing of Director
Scott on Saturday morning following his courageous battle with cancer.
As a fellow Commissioner for many years, and then as Director since
February 2009, Kelvin displayed an uncommon sense of justice and
fairness. I believe I speak for all current and former Commissioners,
Department staff and our civil and human rights partners around the
state when I say that Kelvin’s leadership and commitment will be missed.
Our hearts go out to his family during this difficult time.”
Kelvin W. Scott was first appointed by Governor Granholm to the Civil
Rights Commission in September 2004. He served as a Commissioner until
February 2009, when he was appointed by his fellow Commissioners as
Director of the Department. In his brief time as Director, Kelvin
oversaw the launch of the statewide investigation into the conditions of
migrant and seasonal farmworkers and the successful series of Root Beer
Summits on Race and Diversity held in November 2009.
In his professional life outside of Civil Rights, Kelvin was most
recently Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for
Plastech Engineered Products, Inc. He also worked as Associate Corporate
Counsel for MASCO Corporation, litigator with the firm of Kienbaum
Opperwall Hardy and Pelton, Assistant United States Attorney with the
U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Michigan, and
associate attorney and partner with the law firm Dickinson Wright.
Kelvin was recently elected chair of the Board of Legal Aid and Defender
of Detroit, a was past president of the Wolverine Bar Association and
former Chairman of the Board of the Eastside Emergency Center. He also
served on the Board of Directors for the Barristers of the Detroit
Metropolitan Bar Association and received its Distinguished Service
Award. He was a past president and former state representative of the
Detroit chapter of the National Black Prosecutors Association. He is
also a former executive board member for the 15th Democratic
Congressional District (now the 13th District).
Kelvin received a Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law
Center in 1987 and a B.A. from Michigan State University in 1984.
Kelvin, who was 47, is survived by his wife Ursula Henry and his parents
Herman and Helen Scott.
