Pinckard road renamed in honor of teacher and civil rights advocate
PINKARD, Ala (WDHN) — On Thursday, February 16, the town of Pinckard held a ceremony to officially rename Randolph Street to Mack M. Matthews Street.
According to Pinckard Mayor Bobby Borland, Mack Matthews, born in 1902, played a pivotal role in the education of African-American children in Dale County.
Matthews attended Lomax-Hannon College and received his BS Degree from Alabama State College. After graduating, he was a teacher and later principal at the Pinkard Colored School.
When the Pinckard High School for African-American Children burned down in 1959, Matthews made arrangements for the children to be provided with education for the next three years.
“During his teaching career, he was instrumental in shaping the lives of many school children in Dale and Houston Counties, Ozark City Schools, and Graceville, Florida Schools,” said Mayor Borland.
He was also the first Chairman of the Ozark Voters League and the first Honorary Life Chairman.
In 1975, Matthews, a father of six, was named Ozark’s Outstanding Man of the Year.
Matthews died on March 15, 1981 at the age of 78.
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