25 Facts About Hank Thomas

Henry "Hank" James Thomas was born on August 29,1941 and is an African American civil rights activist and entrepreneur.

Hank Thomas was injured in battle and subsequently received a Purple Heart.

Hank Thomas is featured in the National Park Service's International Civil Rights Walk of Fame at the Martin Luther King Jr.

Hank Thomas learned to read at the age of four from his mother, Tina R Heggs, who had only a sixth grade education.

Never knowing his biological father, Hank Thomas was raised by an abusive stepfather.

Later on, when blacks were not allowed to check out books in the library, Hank Thomas would take his own books there to read.

Hank Thomas attended Howard University in Washington DC While attending Howard, Hank Thomas participated in many lunch counter sit-ins, and became one of the founders of the Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee.

Hank Thomas attempted to purchase movie tickets at a white movie theater, and they wouldn't let him buy any because he was black, so he waited.

On May 4,1961, Hank Thomas joined the first Freedom Rider group.

Originally, he was not going to participate, but his roommate, John Moody, who was supposed to join the event, got sick and was unable to attend, so Hank Thomas took his place.

The Greyhound bus Hank Thomas was riding was making its way into Anniston, Alabama.

Hank Thomas experienced a strange feeling as the bus arrived at the Anniston station shortly after 1 PM of that day.

Hank Thomas was the first one to make it out of the burning bus.

Hank Thomas fell to the ground and almost lost consciousness.

Hank Thomas was after released on bail, and on August 22,1961, he became the first rider to appeal his conviction for the breach of peace.

Hank Thomas currently owns four Marriott Hotels, two Fairfield Inns, and two TownePlace Suites.

Hank Thomas was honored at a Freedom Fighters Appreciation Banquet at the Willie Galimore Community Center in 1992.

Hank Thomas is President of the Hayon Inc Group, which owns three McDonald's franchises in Atlanta, and of Victoria Hospitality Properties Inc.

Hank Thomas has served on the boards of the APEX Museum, the Butler Street YMCA, the Atlanta Youth Academy, and Atlanta's Boys and Girls Club.

Hank Thomas was formerly a Vice Chair of the Piney Woods School in Jackson, Mississippi.

Hank Thomas serves on the Board of Trustees of Talladega College and Morehouse Medical School.

Hank Thomas is part of the Mississippi Freedom Riders 50th Reunion Foundation, serving as the National Chair.

Hank Thomas received the "Buffalo Soldier" Award from Howard University in 2006.

Hank Thomas received the Rabbi Perry Nausbaum Civil Justice Award.

Hank Thomas is a lifetime member of the NAACP, and he and his wife Yvonne are parents of two and grandparents of four.