Meet Harvey
Meet Harvey Mattox – A Life of Service, A Heart for Tuskegee
Hello, my name is Harvey Mattox. I was born Harvey Lee Adams on March 20, 1948, in Newton, Texas to Lorene and Cleven Adams, but I was lovingly raised by my grandparents, who later adopted me when I was 14. I graduated from J.B. Kerr High School in 1966 and went on to Prairie View A&M University, where I earned a degree in Biology and received my commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy.
While at Prairie View, I had the honor of being part of the historic “Golden Thirteen,” the first group of Naval and Marine Corps Officers commissioned from an HBCU. I later earned a Master’s degree in Personnel Management from Central Michigan University.
I served our country for more than two decades—first on active duty, then recalled in 1982—and retired from the Navy in 1994. Along the way, I led teams aboard various ships and at shore commands, always focused on leadership and building people up. One of my proudest moments came when I was recruiting at Central State University, an HBCU often overlooked by others. I built real trust there and helped launch a young man into one of the Navy’s toughest officer programs. He became the youngest person ever accepted into the Navy’s Nuclear Power Officer program—and he came from Central State.
After my Navy service, I continued public service with the National Park Service, eventually retiring in 2014 as a program manager. My time at Grand Canyon National Park allowed me to work closely with Native American communities—a relationship I valued deeply and treated with care and respect.
In 1986, I married my incredible wife, Sandy, and we’ve shared 38 wonderful years together, raising three children and enjoying five amazing grandchildren. In 2010, Sandy was appointed Superintendent of the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, and we moved here to Tuskegee—a town we had read about in history books but never imagined would one day become our home.
When we bought our house on South Main Street, it had been empty for nearly 50 years. Our kids thought we were crazy to take it on, but we believed in its potential. With love and patience, we brought it back to life. Today, it’s more than just a house—it’s home.
I’ve lived a life of service, and now I want to serve the people of Tuskegee as your representative for City Council District 5. I believe in community, respect, and building up what others might overlook. Tuskegee isn’t just where I live—it’s where I belong.
Vote Harvey Mattox for City Council District 5! A Voice for Tuskegee A Vision for the Tomorrow
