Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Digital Subscription
    • Advertisement
    • Contact Us
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    The Tennessee TribuneThe Tennessee Tribune
    Advertise With Us
    • Home
      • COVID-19 Resource Center
        • Dr. Henry Louis Gates’ PSA Radio
      • Featured
    • News
      • State
      • Local
      • National/International News
      • Global
      • Business
        • Commentary
        • Finance
        • Local Business
      • Investigative Stories
        • Affordable Housing
        • DCS Investigation
        • Gentrification
    • Editorial
      • National Politics
      • Local News
      • Local Editorial
      • Political Editorial
      • Editorial Cartoons
      • Cycle of Shame
    • Community
      • History
      • Tennessee
        • Chattanooga
        • Clarksville
        • Knoxville
        • Memphis
      • Public Notices
      • Women
        • Let’s Talk with Ms. June
    • Education
      • College
        • American Baptist College
        • Belmont University
        • Fisk
        • HBCU
        • Meharry
        • MTSU
        • University of Tennessee
        • TSU
        • Vanderbilt
      • Elementary
      • High School
    • Lifestyle
      • Art
      • Auto
      • Tribune Travel
      • Entertainment
        • 5 Questions With
        • Books
        • Events
        • Film Review
        • Local Entertainment
      • Family
      • Food
        • Drinks
      • Health & Wellness
      • Home & Garden
      • Featured Books
    • Religion
      • National Religion
      • Local Religion
      • Obituaries
        • National Obituaries
        • Local Obituaries
      • Faith Commentary
    • Sports
      • MLB
        • Sounds
      • NBA
      • NCAA
      • NFL
        • Predators
        • Titans
      • NHL
      • Other Sports
      • Golf
      • Professional Sports
      • Sports Commentary
      • Metro Sports
    • Media
      • Video
      • Photo Galleries
      • Take 10
      • Trending With The Tribune
    • Classified
    • Obituaries
      • Local Obituaries
      • National Obituaries
    The Tennessee TribuneThe Tennessee Tribune
    Nashville

    A Tribute to Dr. T. B. Boyd: A Champion for Black Economic Empowerment and Opportunity

    Article submittedBy Article submittedMay 12, 2022No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Pinterest Tumblr Reddit Email
    Dr. T.B. Boyd III
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    by Michael A. Grant, J.D.

    “Not him who has much but he who has much to give is rich”

    — Native American proverb

    Michael A. Grant, J.D.

    Theophilus Bartholomeus Boyd, III, was born into a family of means.  His family owned the National Baptist Publishing Board and had a controlling interest in Citizens Savings and Trust Bank. Like many who are born with privilege bestowed on them, Dr. Boyd could have chosen to ignore the plight of the less fortunate. However, he understood at an early age, “To whom much is given, from him much is required.” 

    I first came to know Dr. Boyd or “TB” as some affectionally called him, when he was chairing the Middle Tennessee effort to raise funds for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).  Jackie Thompson, who had served as his public relations director at Citizen’s Bank, and I formed a marketing and public relations company, Conceptions, Inc. Dr. Boyd, an ardent supporter of black entrepreneurship, awarded our fledgling company with a much-needed contract to solicit Middle Tennessee companies on behalf of the UNCF.  He would also contract with Conceptions to do public relations for the publishing board. I would learn later that Dr. Boyd had encouraged many other striving entrepreneurs as well. 

    In 1990, Dr. Boyd was asked to fund a statewide meeting of interdenominational church leaders for an all-day conference designed to come up with strategies to promote economic development through the structure of the church. The event was covered in Jet Magazine. 

    While I was serving as president of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Dr.  Boyd’s financial support allowed the branch to use its status to highlight the importance of black economic empowerment. 

    Advertisement

    When Dr. Boyd was called on to help fund a drive to give emergency assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, he proudly announced that he had already made a large contribution to the effort. 

    Lastly, when former speaker of the house, Newt Gingrich of Georgia was pushing his heartless legislative agenda, incapsulated in the now infamous “Contract with America”, Dr. Boyd helped to orchestrate a blistering counter-attack arguing that the Republican congressman was promoting an agenda that favored wealthy Americans at the expense of the poor. 

    When I served as president of the National Bankers Association in Washington D.C., Dr. Boyd could always be counted on for financial support.

    This short tribute does not begin to capture the magnitude of Dr. Boyd’s generosity.  I just thought one person’s close-up accounting of this man’s compassionate concern for our race and his willingness to use his privileged position to give back to the community was deserving of this very public tribute.

    May he rest in peace!

    Michael A. Grant is president of United Security Financial, Inc. an African-American owned mortgage company.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Article submitted

    Related Posts

    5 Questions with Broadway/R&B Performer Ryan Shaw

    June 2, 2025

    Nashville Housing and Infrastructure Study

    May 28, 2025

    WeGo, District Attorney’s Office announce ride program for witnesses

    May 15, 2025

    18th Les Gemmes Literary Luncheon

    May 15, 2025

    When They Came for the Immigrants

    May 14, 2025

    Lighting the Path: Celebrating 18 Years of Les Gemmes’ Literary Luncheon

    May 7, 2025

    Comments are closed.

    Business

    Charlotte Knight Griffin Takes Office as TBA President-Elect

    June 30, 2025

    EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth

    June 19, 2025

    FUNdraising Good Times Report from Neighborhoods USA Conference in Jacksonville

    June 4, 2025
    1 2 3 … 384 Next
    Education
    Education

    Austin Peay’s MPH program receives $27K for childhood literacy initiative. Community LIFT Project to be implemented at Head Start centers this fall

    By Ethan SteinquestJune 30, 2025

    CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University’s Master of Public Health program is on a…

    TSU, State, reach agreement to reallocate $96M to school

    June 26, 2025

    TSU student lands prestigious internship at Harvard Medical School

    June 25, 2025

    FAMU stakeholders file lawsuit to prevent Marva Johnson’s confirmation as the university’s 13th President

    June 21, 2025
    The Tennessee Tribune
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • About Us
    • Digital Subscription
    • Store
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact
    © 2025 The Tennessee Tribune - Site Designed by No Regret Media.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Our Spring Sale Has Started

    You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/