MACON, Georgia — Macon native and former host of 13WMAZ's 'Ebony Speaks' show Leroy Thomas passed away Friday.
In the 70s and 80s, Thomas hosted 'Ebony Speaks' on 13WMAZ, sparking conversations on social justice and equality for the Black community.
A Navy veteran and community leader, Thomas was a native to the south Macon, Tybee neighborhood.
He died at 75-years-old on Friday morning at the Medical Center, Navicent Health.
Musician Baatin Muhammad is the writer and composer of the 'Ebony Speaks' theme song.
"It is one of the greatest honors of my life because hanging out with Leroy was an experience in itself," he said. "By hanging out with Leroy, I knew what the show meant to him."
Muhammad says he met Thomas after he moved in Macon in 1972. He and Thomas shared the same mentor, Shakur Al-nur.
"That's how I met Leroy and got exposed to his wonderful personality. His wit. His intelligence and his own wisdom and knowledge and inept perception of what's going on," Muhammad said.
Muhammad remembers his conversations with Thomas as spiritual and enriching.
"Leroy and I would talk about everything," he said. "... It was always about what's going on now and possibly what we could do to have an effect and make a difference on the reality that others that we know experience."
Former Macon Telegraph editor Charles Richardson says Thomas was one of the first few people he met after he came to Macon in 1982.
"To say that Leroy could light up a room is an understatement," Richardson said. "He always had a smile on his face, but his messages were always serious in nature."
Thomas was the president of the local NAACP. Richardson says, looking back, Thomas brought the organization to prominence.
"I would say that, as a leader, he was grassroots. Meaning that he could talk to anybody on any level, but he particularly walked to blocks and knocked on doors," Richardson said.
He says Thomas was a strong leader.
"He talked to people. He cajoled them. He told them how the system works and when you know how the system works, you know how you can work with it, push back against it, or just go along with it," he said.
Both Richardson and Muhammad say Thomas was a man who always spoke his mind.
"You didn't have to wonder what he was thinking about," Richardson said. "He'd say it with a smile on his face, but you'd know he was serious."
"He was a good example of fearlessness and he did not fear telling you what was on his mind," Muhammad said.
Muhammad says folks could always feel Thomas' presence when he entered a room.
"He was such a good example of being real and down to Earth, cut to the chase, no games, tell it like it is, you can take it or leave it alone," Muhammad said.
Richardson says he'd like the community to remember Thomas as a man who always tried to speak truth.
"Leroy was speaking truth when few others were speaking truth," he said.
Muhammad says Thomas' family will commemorate his life at 6 p.m. Thursday at Hicks Funeral Home and viewing will take place on Wednesday and Thursday.
Former 13WMAZ 'Ebony Speaks' host Leroy Thomas dies
