Matthews comes ‘full circle'
Published 7:15 am Monday, February 19, 2007
By By Kerry Whipple Bean – publisher
Brewton resident and new author H.K. Matthews was once “public enemy No. 1” in Pensacola, Fla., because of his protests against racial inequality.
Next week, he will be celebrated there as a hero of the civil rights movement.
Matthews' journey has included protests, jail time and threats against his life.
He wanted to share the book, he said, because few people knew of the civil rights struggles in northwest Florida.
A pastor, Matthews moved to Brewton about 30 years ago, after he met his wife, a Brewton native.
He spent many years working at Jefferson Davis Community College; many of his former colleagues attended the book signing Thursday.
While the struggle was long, Matthews said Americans have “come a long way” toward racial equality.
Interracial cooperation is necessary, Matthews said.