Today in the state capital.

Attorney General Russell Coleman honored one of his predecessors, John Marshall Harlan, with a portrait unveiling.

Although Harlan is best known for his time on the U.S. Supreme Court, while on the court, he often voted in favor of civil rights laws while his colleagues voted against them.

Harlan also served as Kentucky's 14th attorney general from 1863 until 1867.

Marshall's legacy was brought to life in a new book, The Greatest Center, and the author, alongside A.G. Coleman, reflected on his impact.

Now, the timing of this event today could not be any better.

This past Saturday, we celebrated the anniversary of Kentucky's admission to the union in 1792.

It was also Harlan's 191st birthday.

John Marshall Harlan served as attorney general during turbulent times for our Commonwealth and for our nation.

Partizanship and division were rampant.

Violent crime threatened the very rule of law, and the federal government amassed unprecedented power over the state.

Thankfully, we don't have to contend with any problems like that in present day.

It was in that setting that Harlan stepped into the Attorney General's office.

He, like every other Kentuckian, it's been honored to hold this position before me.

Animated this institution in Kentucky's public life.

Truly, the attorney General's office holds a unique and consequential role for our commonwealth.

I also think that you know, we're celebrating Harlan largely because of his incredibly illustrious judicial career, where he was a man who had the courage to stand against all of his contemporaries on some of the most important issues of the day and to be vindicated by history.

It's, you know, something that is is I think all people in public life sort of sort of hoped for.

They all want the verdict of history to be in their favor.

And in Harlan's case, it is very much in his favor.

And it spans conservatives and liberals and moderates.

Everybody, I think, acknowledges Harlan's presence and the importance of his legacy as a Supreme Court justice.

MARSHALL Harlan Coleman also signed an executive order declaring the attorney general's conference room be named in honor of John Marshall.

Harlan.