Dr. Thomas F. Freeman, a legend, educational icon, and sage to innumerable students at Texas Southern University, passed away on Saturday, June 6, following a brief illness at age 100.

Dr. Freeman was an esteemed debate coach, faculty member, orator and minister at Mount Horem Baptist Church in Houston.

Prior to his arrival at TSU, Dr. Freeman received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA; a Bachelor of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in Newton Centre, MA; and a Doctor of Philosophy from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, IL.

Dr. Freeman received many awards during his career, including the Doctor of Humane Letters from Eastern Massachusetts University (1980 and 2000); American Performance Theatre Award (1992); Houston Urban League, Margaret Ross Barnett Leadership Award (1992); TSU’s International Recognition Award (1992); Martin Luther King Drum Major Award (1995); Educator of the Year Award presented by the Black Caucus of the Texas Legislature (1995); Houston Trail Blaze for the Negro Heritage Foundation (2000); Trail Blaze Award from Houston Community College System (2003); and Doctor of Divinity from Bishop King Theological Seminary (2002).

Donations to the Dr. Thomas F. Freeman Memorial Fund will be for the purposes of advancing the TSU Debate Team program.