Tom Joyner facts for kids

Thomas Joyner, born on November 23, 1949, is a famous American radio host. He is also known for his charity work and for being a musician in the past. Tom Joyner used to host The Tom Joyner Morning Show, which was heard all over the country. He also started Reach Media Inc., the Tom Joyner Foundation, and BlackAmericaWeb.com.

Growing Up: Tom Joyner's Story

Tom Joyner was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. His parents were Frances and Hercules L. Joyner. Tom came from a family that valued education very much. His grandfather, Oscar, was one of only 3,000 Black doctors in the United States. He earned his medical degree in 1909.

Both of Tom's parents graduated from colleges that were started for Black students. Tom and his brother, Albert, also went to Tuskegee Institute, which is now called Tuskegee University. Tom Joyner earned a degree in sociology. While he was a student at Tuskegee, Joyner joined the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

At first, Tom wanted to be a musician. He joined a band called the Commodores with his college friend Lionel Richie. But the band did not make any money. His family encouraged him to find another way to make a living.

Tom Joyner's Radio Journey

Joyner had worked at his college radio station. He started his professional radio career in Montgomery, Alabama, right after he graduated. He worked at many radio stations in the South and Midwest. These included stations in Dallas, Memphis, and St. Louis.

In early 1978, he moved to Chicago. There, he first worked at WVON as a morning show host. After only three months, he moved to a competing station, WBMX-FM. By July 1978, he was hired by Charles Mootry to work at station WJPC (AM), which is now WNTD. This station was owned by John H. Johnson, who published Jet and Ebony magazines. Joyner hosted the morning show at WJPC. While there, he first appeared on national television as the host of the Ebony/Jet Celebrity Showcase.

In 1983, Joyner went back to Dallas to host the morning show at KKDA-FM. Two years later, he was offered an afternoon show at WGCI-FM in Chicago. Instead of choosing one, Joyner decided to do both! For eight years, from 1985 to 1993, he flew between the two cities every day. This earned him the nicknames "The Fly Jock" and "The Hardest Working Man in Radio." He later shared that he collected seven million frequent flyer miles during this time.

The Tom Joyner Morning Show

In 1994, ABC Radio Networks signed Joyner to host a national radio show. This show was called The Tom Joyner Morning Show. It featured Joyner and a team of comedians and commentators. They would talk about the latest news and sports. The show also played popular R&B songs from the 1970s to the 1990s, as well as new R&B hits.

The show also had celebrity guests and live broadcasts from different places called "Sky Shows." Southwest Airlines was a big sponsor of the show. They often gave away free round-trip flights to listeners.

On October 17, 2017, Joyner announced that he would retire at the end of his contract in 2019. He said, "I'm retiring, and for the next two years we're going to reminisce." He retired from his morning show on December 13, 2019.

The Tom Joyner Show on TV

In 2005, a national TV show called The Tom Joyner Show started. Tom Joyner was the host of this one-hour comedy and variety show. It had funny skits with his radio co-hosts, talent contests, and musical performances. Famous artists like Patti LaBelle and Earth, Wind and Fire appeared on the show.

The show was very popular among African American viewers. It even became the number one show in cities like New York and Atlanta, even though it was on late at night. However, the show was expensive to produce because of all the music and performers. In May 2006, Joyner decided not to continue the show. Re-runs of the show are sometimes shown on the TV One cable channel.

The Tom Joyner Foundation

Because of how popular The Tom Joyner Morning Show was, Joyner started The Tom Joyner Foundation. The foundation's goal is to help historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). It does this by giving scholarships to students, helping colleges grow, and building up their resources.

In its first month, the foundation raised $20,000 for scholarships. Since 1998, it has raised more than $65 million. This money helps students stay in school at HBCUs. The foundation also hosts a yearly cruise called the Fantastic Voyage, which raises money for HBCUs.

Scholarships for Students

The Tom Joyner Foundation offers different scholarships:

The Hercules Scholarships

The Hercules Scholarship is named after Tom Joyner's father. It helps male HBCU students who are part of the School of the Month program. This $1500 scholarship is given out every Thursday to students chosen by the School of the Month. Past schools include Dillard University and Stillman College.

Full Ride Scholarship

The Full Ride Scholarship is given to one freshman entering an HBCU each year. This scholarship recognizes students who have excellent grades and great personal qualities.

Special Programs

The foundation also supports several special programs:

Veterans Education Program

Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, partnered with the foundation. They gave $10,000 to start a program for veterans. This program helps veterans find the right classes to finish their degrees. It also helps them with counseling, housing, jobs, and adjusting to everyday life.

Global Education

The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) runs the Semester at Sea study abroad program. They teamed up with The Tom Joyner Foundation (TJF) to give two full scholarships. These scholarships are for students from HBCUs to travel the world and study. Both ISE and TJF believe that seeing the world is very important for college students today. It gives them real-life global experience and helps them in the job market.

Teacher Quality

The foundation is working again with the National Education Association for its Teacher Quality Program. This program helps HBCU students who study science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) become K-12 teachers.

Art Legacy

The foundation celebrates the work of Black artists. It highlights their contributions to HBCUs, the art world, and society. These artists' works are shown on the foundation's website. Limited editions of some art pieces are also sold.

Books and Other Media

In 2005, Tom Joyner wrote a book called I'm Just a DJ but ... It Makes Sense to Me. He wrote it with Mary Flowers Boyce. The book talks about his childhood and his early days in radio. It also shares his thoughts on HBCUs, the power of Black consumers, and fatherhood.

In 2009, another book came out called Tom Joyner Presents How to Prepare for College. This book helps parents and their children get ready for college.

Tom Joyner also appeared in a documentary called "Rising from the Rails: The Story of the Pullman Porter." This film talked about how his family passed down important values to him. His grandfather, Oscar "Doc" Joyner, was a Pullman porter who later became a medical doctor.

Tom Joyner has also appeared in a few movies, including The Gospel (2005) and Madea Goes to Jail (2009). In the early 1980s, he hosted the Ebony/Jet Showcase TV show. He also had another TV show called The Tom Joyner Sky Show in 2003.

Tom Joyner's Family and Giving Back

Tom Joyner has two sons, Thomas Jr. and Oscar, with his first wife, Dora. He calls them "Killer" and "Thriller." Later, he married fitness expert Donna Richardson in 2000. They divorced in 2012.

Tom Joyner is a descendant of North Carolina Supreme Court justice John Hall. DNA analysis also shows that he is partly descended from the Balanta people of Guinea-Bissau.

Helping Others

Joyner has always encouraged people to register to vote. He promotes voter registration on his radio show, on his website, and during his live "Sky Shows."

To help people stay healthy, Joyner created "Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day." This event happens every April or September. On this day, he encourages families and friends to go to the doctor for a check-up. This helps prevent health problems and treat any existing issues. Joyner also supported the Alzheimer's Association Walk in 2011. This walk raised money and awareness for Alzheimer's research and support.

Awards and Recognition

Tom Joyner has received many awards for his work:

• On October 7, 2004, he won the NAB Marconi Radio Award.
• In 1998, Joyner was the first African American to be added to The National Radio Hall of Fame in Chicago, Illinois.
• He was inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame on January 12, 2008.
• On August 17, 2013, Joyner was inducted into The Official R&B Music Hall of Fame.
• On June 28, 2015, Joyner received the Humanitarian Award at the 2015 BET Awards.