Hank Thomas facts for kids

Henry "Hank" James Thomas (born August 29, 1941) is an African American civil rights activist and successful businessman. He is famous for being one of the original 13 Freedom Riders. These brave people traveled on buses through the southern United States in 1961. They were protesting against racial segregation, which meant Black and white people were kept separate.

Hank Thomas continued his important work in the Civil Rights Movement. He helped start the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He also took part in many more Freedom Rides. Later, in 1965, he served as a medic in the Vietnam War. He was hurt during a battle and received a special award called the Purple Heart.

Today, Hank Thomas is honored at the National Park Service's International Civil Rights Walk of Fame. This special place is located at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site.

Early Life and His Fight for Fairness

Hank Thomas was born on August 29, 1941, in Jacksonville, Florida. His mother, Tina R. Heggs, taught him to read when he was just four years old. Even though she only had a sixth-grade education, she made sure Hank learned. Hank spent most of his childhood in St. Augustine, Florida.

He started speaking out against unfair treatment very early in his life. In a book called Breach of Peace, Hank explained that "rebellion came natural" to him. When he was only 9 or 10, he corrected a white insurance man who didn't show respect to his aunt. Later, when Black people weren't allowed to check out books from the library, Hank would bring his own books there to read. As he grew up, he joined sit-ins, where people sat in places they weren't allowed. He also sat in the "white only" seats on local buses.

College and Joining the Movement

Hank Thomas went to Howard University in Washington D.C. While at college, he took part in many lunch counter sit-ins. These were protests where people sat at segregated lunch counters to demand equal service. He also became one of the people who helped create the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

His passion for civil rights grew stronger when he heard about the Greensboro sit-ins. These protests inspired him to become an organizer and participant in early civil rights actions in Maryland and Virginia.

Hank's first arrest happened at a movie theater in Hyattsville, MD. He tried to buy tickets at a movie theater that was only for white people. When they wouldn't sell him tickets because he was Black, he waited there. Eventually, the police arrived and arrested him. He later said, "That was the beginning."

The Brave Freedom Rides

On May 4, 1961, Hank Thomas joined the very first group of Freedom Riders. He wasn't originally planning to go. His roommate, John Moody, was supposed to join but got sick. So, Hank bravely decided to take his place.

Hank shared a funny story about how he was chosen: "My roommate John Moody had been accepted as a Freedom Rider, and at the last minute, he couldn't go. I don't know whether it was for illness on his part or some illness in his family. It was too late for them to start interviewing around for someone else, and he suggested, 'Well, why don't you take my roommate?' They looked at my age, and they wanted somebody 21 or over. When I went to see them, I'm a big tall fella so I looked big for my age. [Laughs.] But I still say that they just didn't have time to talk to anyone else so that's how I got selected. [Laughs.]"

The Anniston Attack

The Freedom Rides went as planned until May 14, 1961, which was Mothers' Day. The Greyhound bus Hank Thomas was riding was heading into Anniston, Alabama. Anniston was known for having some very aggressive Klansmen.

Hank felt a strange feeling as the bus arrived at the Anniston station. Soon, a mob of about 50 people, led by a Klan leader, attacked the bus. They had weapons, threw things, and smashed windows. The Anniston police took a long time to arrive. When they did, they escorted the bus to the city limits and then left.

As soon as the police left, the mob, who had followed in cars and trucks, attacked the bus again. Two flat tires forced the bus to stop on the side of the road. Then, someone threw a flaming bundle of rags through a window, setting the bus on fire. Hank and the other riders were able to escape only because the mob scattered when they heard the bus might explode.

Hank Thomas was the first person to get out of the burning bus. As he got out, a man asked, "Are you all OK?" Before anyone could answer, the man smirked and hit Hank in the head with a baseball bat. Hank fell to the ground and almost passed out.

Eventually, a fuel tank exploded, and police fired warning shots, which finally broke up the crowd. Most of the Freedom Riders needed medical help. However, the hospital they were taken to didn't give them much care. Another rider, Genevieve Hughes, said about Hank's hospital visit: "I understand they did not do anything at all for Hank."

Continuing the Fight

The first Freedom Ride ended shortly after the terrible events in Anniston. Even though Hank was hurt and scared, he bravely joined a second Freedom Ride just ten days later. This ride went from Montgomery, Alabama, to Jackson, Mississippi. This time, he was arrested and spent time in Parchman State Prison Farm.

Hank was later released on bail. On August 22, 1961, he became the first Freedom Rider to challenge his conviction for breach of peace. Although the Mississippi Supreme Court upheld his conviction in 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned it in 1965.

After the Freedom Rides and serving in the Vietnam War, Hank Thomas moved to Atlanta. He believed Atlanta was a great place for Black middle-class families. Here, he became a successful businessman. He started a laundromat with a friend. Then, he worked his way up in the franchise business. He owned a Burger King and two Dairy Queens. Eventually, he owned six McDonald's restaurants. Today, he owns four Marriott Hotels, two Fairfield Inns, and two TownePlace Suites.

Achievements and Recognition

Hank Thomas has received many honors for his work. In 1992, he was celebrated at a Freedom Fighters Appreciation Banquet. He is the President of the Hayon Inc. Group, which owns McDonald's restaurants in Atlanta. He also leads Victoria Hospitality Properties Inc., which manages Marriott Hotels.

Hank Thomas has served on the boards of several important organizations. These include the APEX Museum, the Butler Street YMCA, the Atlanta Youth Academy, and Atlanta's Boys and Girls Club. He was also a Vice Chair of the Piney Woods Country Life School in Mississippi. He serves on the Board of Trustees for Talladega College and Morehouse Medical School. He is also the National Chair of the Mississippi Freedom Riders 50th Reunion Foundation.

In 2006, Hank Thomas received the "Buffalo Soldier" Award from Howard University. In 2011, he was added to the International Civil Rights "Walk of Fame" and received the "For my People" Award. He also received the Rabbi Perry Nausbaum Civil Justice Award and the 365Black Award from McDonald's Inc.

Hank Thomas is still an active member of his community. He is a lifetime member of the NAACP. He and his wife Yvonne have two children and four grandchildren.