The youngest Freedom Rider, Hezekiah Watkins, will be in Owensboro telling his life story and his experiences as a lifelong Civil Rights activist at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
The Kentucky Room at the Daviess County Public Library has partnered with Kentucky Wesleyan College to host Watkins in Jones Gymnasium in the Woodward Health and Recreation Center on KWC’s campus.
Watkins is a docent at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, Miss., and is known as the youngest Freedom Rider. In 1961, at age 13, he was arrested for stepping foot in a whites only bus station. He was taken to Mississippi State Penitentiary (also know as Parchman Farm) and housed on death row for five days.
He was eventually released and has since then dedicated his life to pursuing equality and Civil Rights. He has written a book titled “Pushing Forward: The Story of Mississippi’s Youngest Freedom Rider.”
On April 29, the Kentucky Room and KWC are partnering together again to show “By Parties Unknown.”
This documentary explores the story of the lynching of four black men that took place in Russellville, Ky., in 1908. The four men were singled out for supporting their friend, Rufus Browder who shot and killed his foreman in self-defense.
The film screening is in the Panther room of the Jack T. Wells Activity Center.
Kentucky Room Manager Savannah Warren-Lee said the community should come to these events because so many of these stories have gone untold for years.
“Mr. Watkins has an amazing story that I think will inspire and remind people of what previous generations have experienced,” she said. “The documentary covers an uncomfortable topic, but I think the story is an important one to hear and the conversation is one that needs to be had.”
After the screening, there will be community discussion afterwards. Leading the discussion will be the creators of the documentary and Owensboro NAACP President Rhondalyn Randolph.
Warren-Lee said she is excited to welcome both of these programs to Owensboro and the staff at the Kentucky Room hope people come out and gain some knowledge and understanding from these events.
