Editing H. K. Matthews

{{Infobox Biography
| subject_name   =H. K. Matthews
| image_name     =
| image_size     =
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| date_of_birth  =[[February 7]], [[1928]]
| place_of_birth =Snow Hill, Alabama
| date_of_death  =
| place_of_death =
| occupation     =Civil rights leader, minister, educational administrator
| religion       =A.M.E. Zion
| spouse         =Bobbie Matthews
| parents        =John Henry and Louveenia Johnson Matthews
| children       =
| signature      =
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}}
Reverend '''Hawthorne Konrad (H. K.) Matthews''' (b. [[1928]]) is an African-American minister who was active during the [[civil rights movement]] in the Pensacola area and was arrested 35 times for his political activities.

Born in Snow Hill, Alabama and raised by his grandmother, Lucy Purifoy Johnson, he attended Alabama A&M University for three years before serving in the [[Korean War]]. Moving to Pensacola in [[1955]], he became active with the church community and was mentored by Reverend [[W. C. Dobbins]]. He was ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in [[1961]].

Matthews became involved with the local [[NAACP]] and [[Southern Christian Leadership Conference]] chapters during the [[civil rights movement]]. As president of the [[Pensacola Council of Ministers]], Matthews led sit-in protests that successfully [[Integration|integrated]] [[Palafox Street]] lunch counters. He also helped the successful efforts to get blacks hired at such businesses as [[Sacred Heart Hospital]], [[Southern Bell Telephone Company]] and [[West Pensacola Bank]].

In [[1965]], Matthews participated in the [[Wikipedia:Selma to Montgomery marches|Selma to Montgomery marches]] led by Dr. [[Wikipedia:Martin Luther King, Jr.|Martin Luther King]] and was gassed and beaten by white police officers.

In the early 70s, Matthews led efforts to remove the "Rebel" mascot and other [[Confederate]] symbols from the [[Escambia High School]] athletics department.

After a black motorist, [[Wendel Blackwell]], was killed at point-blank range by Sheriff's Deputy [[Doug Raines]] on [[December 22]], [[1974]], Matthews and others urged an investigation into the shooting. Sheriff [[Royal Untreiner]] refused to discipline the deputy, and Matthews led a number of protests at [[Escambia County Sheriff's]] headquarters. At [[Blackwell demonstrations|one of the demonstrations]], on [[February 24]], [[1975]], sheriff's deputies arrested nearly 50 people for unlawful assembly, including Matthews and Rev. [[B. J. Brooks]], who were also charged with felony extortion. They were convicted on [[June 10]]. Matthews was sentenced to five years' hard labor in state prison, but received clemency after sixty-three days.

After his release, Matthews was effectively blacklisted and unable to find gainful employment in the area. He left Pensacola in [[1977]].

Matthews received a full pardon in [[1979]]. The [[City of Pensacola]] named [[H. K. Matthews Park]] for him in [[2006]]. 

Matthews published an autobiography, ''Victory After The Fall'', in [[2007]].

[[Category:Authors|Matthews, HK]] [[Category:Civil rights activists|Matthews, HK]] [[Category:Political prisoners|Matthews, HK]]