Former Boaz Postmaster Named Outstanding Citizen

Henry L. Blythe, of Mayfield, received the Outstanding Citizen Award from the Mayfield Human Rights Commission at a Black History Month Celebration at Mayfield High School Sunday.

In presenting the award to Blythe, Chris Kendrick, executive director of the Mayfield Humans Rights Commission, described Blythe as a “tireless champion of civil rights in Mayfield.”

A Mayfield native, Blythe served 23 years in the Air Force, receiving the Humanitarian Service Medal for his performance during the Iranian hostage rescue attempt. After retiring from the military, Blythe joined the United States Postal Service in 1984.

When he became postmaster of Dexter, KY in 1991, he was one of two African-American postmasters in western Kentucky and one of only 10 African-American postmasters in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He retired as postmaster in Boaz in 2007.

Blythe has been an active member of the Mayfield-Graves County Human Rights Commission for several years, and has served as chairman of the commission.