Rep. Davis: “He was an absolute giant”
Known as “TNT” for his eloquent, baritone voice and legal wisdom, the former president of Operation PUSH, Attorney Thomas N. Todd passed at age 85 on Sunday, February 18, former Senator Howard Brookins, Sr. confirmed Tuesday, February 27.
“The family is still in mourning. They are devastated,” Brookins told the Chicago Crusader. “His family didn’t want a public funeral or any fanfare.” According to Brookins there was no funeral for Todd. “Everything was private,” he said.
Todd’s sudden death touched the hearts of many including Representative Danny Davis (D-7th). He told the Chicago Crusader “Tom Todd was an absolute giant, not only in stature but in intellect, oratory. I don’t know any person I’ve heard speak that I enjoyed listening to more, maybe Dr. Martin Luther King.
“He was just good. He was instructed, accurate, entertaining, humorous, motivational and in the courtroom, he would slice you up,” Davis said, referring to Todd’s historic legal filings and victories.
“We have benefited greatly from his presence, and he was indeed a great soul,” Davis said.
Born on September 24, 1938, in Demopolis, Alabama, Todd was the recipient of more than 500 awards and honorary degrees.
He received his bachelor’s degree in political science at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was a magna cum laude graduate of the Southern University School of Law. He passed the bar on his first attempt in 1963.
When Congressman Harold Washington ran for mayor of Chicago in 1983, Todd often roused the listening crowd with his baritone voice before Washington spoke.
Todd held many first-time positions and court actions, such as filing the first federal criminal case against a Chicago police officer for deprivation of a prisoner’s rights. Officer Joseph Fine was accused of beating up Eldridge Gaston outside a South Side restaurant. He died as a result of his injuries.
Todd did not try that case, which ended in a hung jury in 1971, but the indictment reportedly was shocking to officers and politicians.
Todd was a lawyer in the U.S. Army from 1964 to 1967 when he was appointed assistant U.S. attorney. He is included on the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame at the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta, along with civil rights icons Rosa Parks, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, and activist Julian Bond.
Todd, who was president of Operation PUSH from 1983-1984 when Reverend Jesse Jackson was running for the U.S. presidency, was also the first full time Black law professor at Northwestern University. He taught law there from 1970 to 1974. Todd was also president of the Chicago chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1971.
Todd was admitted to practice law before many courts, including the Louisiana Supreme Court, the United States Court of Military Appeals, the Illinois Supreme Court, and the United States Supreme Court.
Known for his booming voice, Todd would bring people to their feet when he bellowed, “Freedom Oh, freedom. Though I be a slave, I be buried in my grave and go home to my God and be free. I woke up this morning, my mind stayed on freedom.”
Todd is survived by his wife Janis and two daughters, Traci and Tamara.
