Henry Mathis to lead, narrate MLK Day walk

ALBANY — Henry Mathis, as an eight-year-old, may not have completely understood all the issues that led his family, friends and neighbors in the African-American community to march during the Albany Civil Rights Movement, but his lack of understanding did not diminish his sense of adventure.

“My mother took her hose and put some soda crackers and peanut butter in it and tied it around my waist because she’d been told there wasn’t much food served in the downtown jail,” said Mathis, a pastor/educator now who counsels released prison inmates as they return to society. “I was an 8-year-old little boy who’d been called on to lead a march, and I remember the excitement I felt.

“Sure, I was a little scared about going to jail, but I was prepared. As it turned out, they didn’t arrest children that day.”

Still, as Mathis looks over the footsteps inlaid in the sidewalk in front of Shiloh Baptist Church at 325 Whitney Ave., recognized as the birthplace of the Albany Movement, he recalls what it was like to walk alongside civil rights pioneers who came to Southwest Georgia to aid in the quest for rights long denied African Americans.

On Monday, Mathis will make that walk again. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, he’ll lead a gathering of celebrants from Shiloh east on Whitney Avenue to Jackson Street for a stop at Charles Sherrod Park. Mathis will provide narration of that 8-year-old boy’s memories as those gathered move north up Jackson to the bus depot, site of sit-ins that were a part of Albany Movement participants’ strategy.

The walk will continue north to Pine Avenue and continue west to the site of the old Albany jail. As they did during the days of the movement, participants will kneel and pray when they reach that landmark.

“It’s important that we start here at Shiloh Baptist Church, where the local movement started,” Mathis said. “Shiloh is where the mass meetings were held, where Martin King stood in the pulpit and talked to the people of Albany. Shiloh is where the Rev. H.C. Boyd stood, even in the midst of threats against himself and the church, and opened the doors to the movement.”

Monday’s observance will start at noon. In addition to Mathis’ narration, area singers will provide a soundtrack taken from selections that were a vital part of the movement. The public is invited, but Mathis stresses the importance of young people taking part in the remembrance.

“There are a lot of people — even some of our political leaders — who don’t understand what those steps mean,” Mathis said. “They don’t know that those steps are a very large part of how we got to where we are today. I encourage young people to come and take part in this walk, but there are people of all ages who can learn from it. My hope is that this whets the appetite of people to learn more and become more involved.

“There is something of a disconnect among the generations, and part of the reason is the people who were involved in the movement often didn’t educate the younger generation because they were actively involved in the battle to win civil rights. There also is a disconnect among some of our leaders who think they’re still fighting that war. I want to tell them, ‘Hey, we’re not fighting for basic civil rights now; we won that battle. It’s time to focus on the economic issues that impact our citizens today.’”

Mathis said he hopes his narrative will give participants — young and old alike — a feel for the marches that were such a vital part of the movement.

“We braved the conditions, the weather and the hostile police officers with their billy clubs,” he said. “Those were dangerous times, but they were important times. I hope to do this walk annually because it’s an opportunity to educate. This is an important part of our community’s story.”

Mathis offers an even simpler explanation for Monday’s march.

“It’s time for us to pass the torch,” he said.