As an extension of Black History Month, the Hopkinsville Community College will be hosting a guest lecture from Freedom Rider Hezekiah Watkins — set for noon Thursday, April 20, in Riley Lecture Hall.
Well known as the youngest of the Freedom Riders, the civil rights activist was arrested more than 100 times in his lifetime.
But it’s his first run-in with law enforcement that, unfortunately, is the most memorable.
He was 13. It’s 1961. Jackson, Mississippi.
According to a 2019 article from Mississippi Today, Watkins and a friend ventured to the Greyhound bus station in town — hoping to catch a glimpse of the famed participants, who were protesting segregation in public transportation across the country, from Washington DC to New Orleans.
A mother’s warning and a pastor’s consternation weren’t enough to dissuade the duo from attending.
Originally born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Watkins didn’t have plans to get involved with the peaceful protest. He simply wanted to observe.
However, he got pushed inside the building, and after being questioned by police, he was mistaken as an “outside agitator” from out of town. He was taken into custody, transported to Parchman Farm, placed on death row and forced to share a cell with two inmates charged with murder.
It’s here where he was reportedly tormented, molested and physically abused.
Five days later, Watkins was returned to Jackson and released into his mother’s custody.
From there, life changed. He was recruited by James Bevel to officially join the Civil Rights Movement, where he would continue in Mississippi’s fight for equality.
Watkins now spends his time sharing his experiences and educating all who visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. He and Andrea Ledwell co-authored the book “Pushing Forward,” which tells the story of a young man who became an adult overnight, and whose life continues to focus on serving a much greater cause.
The book will be offered for sale after the lecture, which is free to the public, and comes with a lunch.
