Moving to Minneapolis from his native North Carolina in 1948, Matthew Little assumed he was leaving segregation behind.
He quickly learned that he was wrong.
Blacks were allowed to buy homes only in certain areas, and Little was rejected for a job in the all-white Minneapolis Fire Department because of the color of his skin.
He spent the rest of his life remedying those wrongs.
While other civil rights activists assailed the system from outside, Little found he could be particularly effective working to make changes from the inside.
The owner of a successful landscaping business, he earned the respect of the business community and befriended many of the area's most influential politicians, among them U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and former Vice President Walter Mondale.
While he is known primarily for his work with the Minneapolis NAACP, his focus was much wider. If anyone felt that their rights were being violated, he was there to help. No one needed a friend when Matthew Little was around.
"He was about civil and human rights for everyone," daughter Titilayo Bediako said.
Little marched in support of labor unions and the American Indian Movement. He led rallies in support of open housing and equal-opportunity employment. He spoke out for equal rights for gay people and women.
