A.G. Gancarski
A Jacksonville post office is one step closer to being renamed after a local civil rights legend, following a unanimous U.S. House vote Thursday.
The post office at 1100 Kings Road would be designated for the honorary name, per the bill from U.S. Rep. Al Lawson.
“Rutledge Pearson was both a trailblazer and torch bearer in this community,” said Rep. Lawson. “It was because of his lifelong commitment toward racial equality and human rights that opened the door for many. His legacy was born out of the hate and discrimination he faced, and used this to inspire a movement rooted in love and acceptance for all.”
Pearson, a former baseball player in the Negro League, was denied the opportunity to play in Jacksonville for an integrated team. He went on to helm both the Jacksonville and Florida NAACP, while coaching baseball at New Stanton High School.
“Pearson made a lifetime commitment to the NAACP and the cause of justice. This bill serves a dual role to honor the contributions of Mr. Pearson and to remind younger generations of this civil rights champion who paved the way for the advancements we enjoy today,“ Lawson added.
Pearson died under suspicious circumstances 50 years ago, allegedly in a car crash on a way to organize workers in Tennessee.
Forensic evidence told a different story. His brother told First Coast News that it looked like Pearson had been clubbed to death.
Pearson, inducted in the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2016, also has an elementary school named after him in Jacksonville.
