Tom Joyner

Thomas "Tom" Joyner (born November 23, 1949) is an American radio host, host of the nationally syndicated The Tom Joyner Morning Show, and also founder of REACH Media Inc., the Tom Joyner Foundation, and BlackAmericaWeb.com.

Early life

Joyner was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, the son of Frances and Hercules L. Joyner. Tom came from an educated family: his grandfather Oscar was one of only 3,000 black physicians in the United States, earning a degree in medicine in 1909. Both of his parents were graduates of historically black colleges, and both Tom and his brother Albert attended Tuskegee Institute, now known as Tuskegee University. Tom Joyner graduated with a degree in sociology. While a student at Tuskegee, Joyner joined the fraternity Omega Psi Phi. At first, his goal was to be a musician, and he joined a band, The Commodores, that included his college friend Lionel Richie, but the band did not make any money and his family encouraged him to seek another way to make a living.

Tom Joyner (writer)

Tom Joyner is a writer and academic.

Joyner received his B.A. in English from Rollins College and his M.A. and Ph.D. (both in Theater) from the University of Colorado in Boulder. His research foci included 20th Century Irish drama, post-colonial theaters, and theaters of social justice.

He has worked as a performer, dramaturg, educational outreach writer, and director with university, community, and professional theaters in Florida and Colorado and was part of the inaugural class for Naropa University's Actor-created Physical Theater program.

Prior to graduate school, while working as a freelance writer, Joyner co-created and wrote several titles for DC Comics including Hammerlocke,Scarlett, and Damage. His first published comics work was an Amazons feature which appeared as a DC Comics Bonus Book in Wonder Woman #26 (January 1989). Joyner also wrote individual issues of several other titles including Doctor Fate, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Deathstroke, and Secret Origins.