Frank Matthews

Frank James Matthews III (born April 10, 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio) is the Director of Citizens Assistance for the City of Birmingham and an evening radio talk-show host for WAPI AM 1070.

Matthews became involved in drugs and criminal activities as a youth in Cleveland. As a teenager he became involved in "Teen Challenge", a Christian-based recovery program. He renounced the gang lifestyle and completed an associates degree in religion at the Cerullo School of Ministry in San Diego, California.

Matthews relocated to Birmingham to found Intercession Ministries, Inc., an anti-gang ministry. He was appointed by Mayor Richard Arrington to serve as a gang liaison to the city from 1992 to 1995, and continued to advise the city on gang matter through 2001. As a minister, Matthews became known as God's Gangster, creating and producing a series of videotaped interviews with celebrities called "In Your Face" in order to deliver an anti-gang message to school students.

Matthews has run unsuccessfully for Alabama State Legislature, District 58, for Birmingham City Council District 2, and for Mayor of Birmingham. He has attended most City Council meetings and numerous other events over the years and frequently speaks up as a community activist. In April 2007 he introduced a resolution calling for the city of Birmingham to formally apologize for slavery (a practice banished several years before the city was founded).

In the 2007 Birmingham mayoral election Matthews served on Larry Langford's campaign. He frequently criticized Langford's most notable opponent, Patrick Cooper on his radio show, making use of racially-derogatory language to cast aspersions on the challenger. After being sworn in on November 13, 2007 Langford appointed Matthews to succeed Don Lupo as the head of the Department of Citizens Assistance.

External links

• Matthews profile at WAPI-AM 1070