City holds parade; ECHS hosts celebration event to honor MLK

Civil Rights Champion the Rev. H.K. Matthews is keeping the dream alive.

Matthews was the guest speaker at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at Escambia County High School on Monday.

“Martin Luther King fought to bring deliverance to all of God’s children,” he said. “His dream was so that little black boys and girls would sit at the table of brotherhood.

“The subject today is keeping the dream alive,” he said.

Matthews told the large crowd celebrating King’s legacy that King made his dream clear to all who listened.

“Had Martin Luther King kept the dream to himself, he might be alive today,” he said, referring to King’s assassination in Memphis, Tenn. On April 4, 1968. “You can kill the dreamer, but you can’t kill the dream.”

When he’s not standing up for the rights of others, Matthews is the presiding elder of the Brewton district of the AME Zion Church. He is known as a Civil Rights giant in the northwest Florida area.

He led successful protests against segregation at cafes, restaurants and businesses.

Matthews was jailed 35 times and spent five years doing hard labor.

Matthews, who said he’s almost 88 years old, spoke loudly to an attentive crowd and even offered funny anecdotes.

“Maybe those in the back of the auditorium can come closer so the Holy Spirit can reach you,” he quipped. “He can use you, but not have you.”

In the end, Matthews gave a quote that summed up what King’s legacy is all about today.

“All white people are not bad,” he said. “All black people are not bad. People are people. We can’t be against them for who they are.”

After his speech, Matthews was presented a key to the city by Atmore City Councilman Chris Walker.

During the latter part of the celebration, Destiny Worship Center’s Dr. Bernard Bishop was honored as the recipient of the 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award.

The parade float winners included New Calvary Temple Church (first place) and Hughes Unique Touch (second place).