PENSACOLA CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER PASSES AT 97

A prominent civil rights leader from Pensacola, passed away last night at the age of 97 after a long battle with health issues. Reverend H.K. Matthews became a key figure in the civil rights movement, famously marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Alabama. In the 1960s, he led sit-in protests at downtown lunch counters and fought for the removal of racially insensitive mascots, including at Escambia High School. Matthews was arrested 35 times for his activism, even spending time in prison for his protests against police violence. In 2006, Pensacola honored him by naming a park after him. His contributions to civil rights will not be forgotten.