MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – The Montgomery community is mourning the loss of Althea Thomas, a revered musician, educator, composer, and cultural icon whose influence stretched from the city’s churches to classrooms, concert halls, and national institutions.
Thomas passed away today at Jackson Hospital in Montgomery. She was widely celebrated for her decades of service as an organist at the historic Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where she was originally hired in 1955 by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Thomas, known for her extraordinary talent, became a fixture of worship at Dexter Avenue for more than 60 years. Her music underscored pivotal moments in the church’s history and accompanied generations of worshippers. Her distinctive organ shoes, which she modified from tap shoes specially for playing the organ, are preserved in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, a symbol of her lasting impact on both sacred music and civil rights history…