FAMU graduate Mattie Mobley, matriarch of Tallahassee’s civil rights community, entrepreneur, and community leader, passed away on April 8, 2025, at the age of 111. Born February 4, 1914, Mobley graduated from FAMU’s beauty culture program in 1944, and went on to establish Mobley’s Beauty Salon on Harrison Street, a stone’s throw away from the campus.
Her salon was more than a business—it was a community hub. Above it, she operated a boarding house, offering shelter and support to students and travelers alike.
Mobley’s activism took root during one of the most pivotal eras of civil rights history. In 1956, during the Tallahassee Bus Boycott, she donated $25 a week—a sum equivalent to nearly $300 today—to support the carpool system that kept the movement going. A faithful member of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. C.K. Steele, Mobley found herself at the intersection of faith and activism, working behind the scenes to support the frontlines.
She was a long-standing member of the Tallahassee Branch of the NAACP, joining in the 1950s and remaining active for nearly 70 years. As Chairperson of the Women in the NAACP (W.I.N.) Committee, Mobley championed gender equity within the movement, amplifying the voices of women in civil rights leadership.
In addition to her political activism, Mobley had a deep love for the environment and community beautification. Alongside Irie Mae Clark Wood, she co-founded the Capital City Garden Club, where she later served as president. Under her leadership, the club paid off its mortgage in just seven years, a testament to her fiscal stewardship and determination.
Mobley remained behind the wheel and involved in community leadership roles well into her early 100s, defying expectations and inspiring younger generations with her energy and wisdom. Her life was a masterclass in resilience, compassion, and unwavering purpose.
“Mattie Mobley was a force of nature,” said one longtime community member. “She didn’t just witness history—she shaped it.”
Mobley is survived by generations of family, friends, and community members who will carry forward her legacy of activism, entrepreneurship, and service. A memorial service will be announced in the coming days. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the NAACP Tallahassee Branch or the Capital City Garden Club in her honor.