JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Family, friends and community members celebrated the life and legacy of civil rights activist Hollis Watkins on Saturday.

A service was held for Watkins at Tougaloo College.

Originally born in rural southwest Mississippi, Watkins dedicated his life to the civil rights movement in Mississippi and was often jailed for his activism.

Tougaloo College played an important role in Watkins’ work because it was often the meeting place for civil rights activists.

FILE – Longtime civil rights activist Robert “Bob” Moses, left, and Hollis Watkins speak at Tougaloo College, Friday, August 2, 2023, in Jackson, Miss. Watkins died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, at age 82 at his home in Clinton, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Watkins worked alongside Medgar Evers and Bob Moses in the fight to end segregation and racial discrimination in the state.