DAYTON — The Dayton branch of the NAACP held an event for Black History Month Thursday.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The event was called “Then and Now: What Has Changed?” and had guest speaker Hezekiah Watkins, who is the last surviving Freedom Rider.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Victim of violent armed robbery says he worried ‘I might not survive’
- Former Ohio State quarterback, team captain dies
- 45-year community staple announces permanent closure
The Freedom Riders worked during the Civil Rights Movement to demonstrate against segregation in Jackson, Mississippi.
“I appreciate being here in Dayton,” Watkins said.
Watkins is from Dayton, and participated in the movement in the 1960s.
He was arrested as a member of the Freedom Riders and placed on death row when he was 13-years-old.
“It was horrible. Something that I cannot talk about in great detail,” Watkins said.
The event was held at the Dayton Metro Library.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
