Personal:

Johnny B. Thomas, current Mayor of Glendora, Mississippi, was born in Glendora on November 30, 1953 to working class parents. His mother, Adeline Hill, and his father, Henry Lee Loggins both worked as sharecroppers. Adeline later worked at a juke joint and later became an owner of her own restaurant. Although the 2nd born of 14 children (seven sisters, seven brothers), Johnny Thomas has always been commonly referred to as “Little Brother.”

At the early age of 7 years old, Johnny “Little Brother” Thomas displayed the unique ability to recognize and spell advanced words. His thirst for information and fascination with learning was only heightened as he became intrigued with Trivia Pursuit and other games. His uncanny ability to grasp these games was unheard of at such an early age. Thomas recalls following his mother to her job at the King Place – a black juke house where he did odd jobs, until a near fatal event during his childhood shifted his focus towards entrepreneurship and social change. He continued to work at the King Place over the next few years and vividly remembers being influenced by his cousin, Willie James Stewart. This self-made entrepreneur was a shrewd business person who showed Thomas how to effectively operate a business. A lasting fond memory of the King Place is that Thomas had the opportunity to see his own relative, Aleck “Rice” Miller (a.k.a.) “Sonny Boy” Williamson, during one of his last live performances in Glendora in 1965. From these collective experiences and through his family lineage, Mayor Thomas has committed himself to safeguarding the legacy of Williamson. He intends to open a new café & museum in his honor, and sponsor an annual “Sonny Boy” Williamson Day Blues harmonica festival & tribute each year in early December.

Mayor Thomas has always been committed to the pursuit of higher education. He attended Mississippi Valley State University , majoring in Criminal Justice and minoring in Business Administration. The first major job that Mayor Thomas acquired was as a heavy equipment operator for the county of Tallahatchie . He then worked for a number of years as a Correctional Officer with the Department of Corrections and serving as a Volunteer Fireman under the Reese Administration. Following in his mother’s entrepreneurial steps, he was also self-employed, owning a restaurant, furniture and appliance stores, as well as various other businesses.

Mayor Thomas is married to Shirley Ann Taylor and has eight (8) children, Loretta McGee, Leslie Johnson, Tyrus Davis, Ebony Taylor, Latasha Nicole Suggs, Pamela Williams, Prentiss Williams, and Marsheka Smith.

Public Service & Accomplishments:

Mayor Thomas began his public service as a volunteer under the influential mentorship of Mr. Roosevelt William. He recalls attending his first conference, the Alabama Federation of Southern Cooperative Regional Meeting, in the Red Hills of Alabama . By the 1970s, his interest in public service heightened and he became an avid political and civil rights activist with hopes of increasing African American involvement in the political process.

Mayor Thomas brings to the citizens of Glendora and surrounding vicinities extensive experience as a community volunteer, elected official, entrepreneur, and pioneer. He was a member of Governor William Winters Administration, a member of the original Redistricting Committee on Voting Rights, and organized a county-wide Voter’s League chapter. As a result of his background of local community activism, he faced a number of obstacles, particularly those that were designed to prevent him from serving as a County Supervisor . Nonetheless, he successfully became Tallahatchie County ‘s first African American County Supervisor, the first African American Constable in 1975, Alderman in 1980, and the second African American Mayor in 1982.

National Council of Black Mayors

Among his greatest achievements are the partnerships Mayor Thomas has forged with other regional leaders and organizations that are working cooperatively to make Glendora a better place to live. He has reached out in unprecedented ways to local, county, and state communities to solicit support and assistance in protecting Glendora ‘s historical legacies. His service landed him national recognition in Who’s Who among Black Americans. He is also a founding member and Executive Director of the Glendora Economic and Community Development Corporation, member of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Commission, President of the Tallahatchie County Branch of the NAACP, Chairman of the Anti-Crime Commission, and served as Municipal Judge for the Town of Glendora . Mayor Thomas has received extensive training and certifications in the areas of Housing Education, Counseling, & Development, Homeland/Energy Security, Community Reinvestment, Watershed Protection, and Community Emergency Response. Mayor Thomas and the citizens of Glendora received service recognition by the Mississippi Second Congressional District for supporting Hurricane Katrina evacuees from Mississippi , Louisiana , and Alabama .

Vision:

Although a fiery leader – - whenever asked about the infamous incident of the Emmett Till Murder, Mayor Thomas asserts that, “although these memories still linger in our mind . . . , we bare the responsibility to take the experiences in our heart and make a positive change . . .” He believes that this change comes with a high level of community involvement and development, especially with programs that actively engage Glendora’s youth. Mayor Thomas emphatically believes that the youth of Glendora are intricate threads in the town’s efforts to revitalize. While he is clearly optimistic about the future and its residents, a main challenge he now confronts is replacing the tendency for instant gratification among youth with a spirit of patience.

Glendora ‘s receipt of a federal grant in collaboration with Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Inc. (YOU) of Quitman County , the Youth Bill, provided an outlet for and creation of youth recreation activities. With this program, youth travel to various metropolitan cities around the country to tour and attend professional basketball, football, and baseball games. Moreover, the creation of Cottage Industries for Youth projects and receipt of the Community Connect grant which trains local residents how to operate a computer and introduces wireless Internet into every home in the community, are just two of the many projects the Mayor has set forth that will assist residents in employment and vocational training and placement.

Thomas’ goals for cultural heritage and tourism for Glendora include the creation of the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center (ETHIC) which will include a museum and technology center, the Emmett Till National Park & Nature Trail, a new “Sonny Boy” Williamson Memorial Blues and Cyber Café, and the Gardens of Glendora. Mayor Thomas is in negotiations with regional development authorities and county supervisors to devise the first ever annexation plan in Tallahatchie County which would expand the city limits to include direct access to the Emmett Till Memorial Highway. This would mean a major increase in commerce and tourism for Glendora . His desire is to restore and retain the original flavor of the town’s buildings to enhance their historical significance. This revitalization of the commercial district would include opening new retail stores, restaurants, and a new regional farmer’s market.

These plans for community and family development, economic/entrepreneurship development, health care accessibility, improved education, environmental sustainability, and cultural preservation are all part of Mayor Thomas’ comprehensive vision to safeguard tomorrow’s future for Glendora’s youth and adults.