JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former Jacksonville Sheriff Nat Glover is a River City icon, a heroic character — and a man who once was in trouble with the law but got a second chance to tell his story.
Glover held an event Monday at the San Marco Books and More to promote his upcoming book in hopes of inspiring others.
His autobiography called “Striving for Justice: a Black Sheriff in the Deep South” is set to arrive in August.
“In this book is a message about motivation, some message about commitment, and it’s a message about, you know, having a faith to hang in there when things get tough. And that’s what I would like to see people take from this book,” Glover said.
Glover was Jacksonville’s first Black sheriff elected in Florida since the Reconstruction Era. He served two terms and was inducted into the Florida Law Enforcement Officer’s Hall of Fame and then moved on to become president at Edward Waters College.
Glover worked 37 years in law enforcement.
He is a pioneer whose inspiration to become a police officer came from a race-related confrontation on Ax Handle Saturday.
“Well, yes, I’m very proud of Jacksonville, Jacksonville. elected me, historic sheriff in the state of Florida. And all our people came together to do that by blind, Democrat-Republicans. And I made a commitment then that I was not going to let the people down. And I continue to do that,” Glover said.
Glover says the changes the city has made in that time should be applauded.
“I think once you add up all the things that we’re doing here in Jacksonville and the inclusiveness that we have here in Jacksonville, we could be the envy of the state,” Glover said.
He said the proceeds from the book will fund college scholarship efforts.