Street renamed in honor of Hezekiah Watkins, youngest Freedom Rider
By Omose Ighodaro
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JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — At 13 years old, Hezekiah Watkins became the youngest Freedom Rider in the country. In Jackson, he was arrested alongside dozens of other civil rights activists. Now, a street in the city is named in his honor.
On Monday, Watkins attended a ceremony where a section of Dalton Street, from Dr. Robert Smith Parkway to Central Street, was designated to him. Family, neighbors, and city leaders, gathered in his honor.
“I don’t have the words to express my feelings right now,” Watkins said.
In 1961, during the Civil Rights Movement, Watkins was on summer break and wanted to watch as the Freedom Riders arrived in Jackson. He was mistakenly swept up in the protest near the city’s Greyhound bus station and arrested. Authorities thought he was part of the demonstration and Watkins spent five days in jail on Mississippi’s death row. Though he was later released, from that moment, Watkins dedicated his life to activism. He organized boycotts and registered Black voters across Mississippi. Over the years, he was arrested over 100 times, often with unnecessary force.
“The trauma still lives inside, but I don’t let that deter me from anything that I want to do or say,” Watkins said. “I hope young kids can just come by and see the name on the sign and ask, ‘Who is this guy? What did he do? Why is his name up there?’ and can get educated through this sign.”
In January, the City of Jackson also formally acknowledged its past actions and Mayor, John Horhn, delivered an official apology to Watkins.
“The apology just wasn’t for me it was for all of the Freedom Riders that have been forgotten,” Watkins said. “But in receiving this apology, it made me feel so tall. It made me want to forget some of the things that happened.”
Community leaders say the new street designation is about ensuring future generations understand Watkins’ story and impact. The historic event recognized Watkins as a civil rights leader, businessman, and neighborhood leader.
Watkins, now 77, says he hopes he can carry the fight just a little longer before passing the torch.
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