Rev. Dr. Thomas Walker

Born in Edgecombe County after World War II, Thomas Lorenzo Walker graduated from G.W. Carver High School in 1966. He then earned a Batchelor of Theology from Shaw Divinity School and his Master and Doctoral degrees in Divinity from the Eastern North Carolina Theological Institute. He later earned a Doctor of Humane Letters from United Christian College. Rev. Walker has been pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Rocky Mount for 40 years, but he has also been active in his community. He was one of the first African American Commissioners elected in Edgecombe County and served for three terms. Later, he served as the field representative for Congresswoman Eva Clayton. He founded the Edgecombe Nash Political Caucus which focuses on voter registration. He also founded EBC ATOM, a non-profit that focuses on housing, health and community outreach. He has served as president of the Greater Rocky Mount Ministers Council. His proactive stance in community relations during the Civil Rights era earned Walker the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from Governor James Hunt in 1981, a Community Service Award in 1991, and an Outstanding Service Award in 1996 from the Edgecombe County Involvement Council. In the past decade his honors include recognition by Gov. Michael Easley for Chairing the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission in 2001, the Black History Heritage Peace Keeper Award in 2002, an Outstanding Service Award in 2004 from the General Baptist State Convention, the Shaw University Alumni Association’s Citizen of the Year, and the Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Service in 2009. After recovering from prostate cancer, the Rev. Dr. Walker authored Brother to Brother – You Don’t Have to Die of Prostate Cancer, and created Project EMPOWER which is Empowering Men through Prostate Organ Wellness, Education, and Recovery, and “Save the Seed” a national campaign which encourages men over 40 to get an annual prostate exam. His concern in health had him serve as Chairman of the Health Committee of the North Carolina General Baptist State Convention. As if community work, preaching, and providing support for cancer research were not enough, Dr. Walker also recorded songs including “One Day at a Time” and “Keep Me in Your Will.”

Inducted into Hall of Fame 2010