On Feb. 25, a Celebration of Life was held for Thomas Dortch Jr. at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
Family, friends and the community came together to show appreciation for the late civic leader, including many from the 100 Black Men of America and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. The prayer of comfort was led by Bernice A. King and later followed by a music selection from Mike Phillips, who performed a song specially made for Dortch last year called “Hanging with Mr. D.”
Dortch’s son, Thomas W. Dortch, III, reflected on the life of his father with more of his family standing by his side.
“Everybody here made him who he was,” Dortch said. “He was so motivated and driven by the idea of a better community, a closer community. He was driven by us working together and really being a family.”
Sen. Sam Nunn spoke about his time with Dortch. In 1990 Dortch became the state director and served as a chief administrator for Nunn. That made Dortch the first African American to serve in that capacity for any U.S. Senator.
“The last words Tommy said to me was ‘I love people,'” Nunn said. “We all know that people loved Tommy Dortch. I loved Tommy Dortch, and the entire Nunn staff and team loved Tommy Dortch.”
Throughout the service, Albert E. Dotson of the 100 Black Men of America, Dr. George T. French, Jr., the president of Clark Atlanta University, and Melanie Campbell, the president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, spoke about Dortch and what he meant to their programs and organizations.
Glenda Hatchett, a longtime friend of Dortch, finished the reflections with a heartfelt message to the crowd.
“You go on and know that you have changed the world, not just for us, but for generations,” Hatchett said.
