Thomas A. Fleming

1994 Honoree

The grandparents who reared Thomas A. Fleming had little formal education, but they tried to instill in him the importance of education and the belief that Biblical teachings were the guide post for life. In 1949, when Thomas was 16, he shattered their hopes by dropping out of the Detroit Public Schools and "hanging out" with the "wrong people."

In 1950, Fleming lied about his age and enlisted in a National Guard unit that was eventually shipped to Germany. His 66 months in the U.S. Army proved to be his salvation because he learned to read by studying the "Bible."

Honorably discharged from the army in 1955, his desire for an education motivated him to secure a High School Equivalency Diploma os well as a bachelor's degree from William Tyndale College and a master's degree from Eastern Michigan University.

Fleming taught at Washtenaw County Juvenile Detention School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Citing his own experiences, he inspired students to achieve and became a legendary teacher for troubled youth.

In 1992, Fleming was named National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers in partnership with Encyclopedia Britannica. He became the first Michigan teacher and the fourth black American selected for this honor.

Since September 1993, Fleming has served os special assistant to the Provost of Academic Affairs at Eastern Michigan University. He is also a member of a Presidential Commission facilitating business and community mentoring opportunities for young people.

The seeds that his grandparents planted within him, he, in turn, is planting within others.