Tom came from an educated family: his grandfather Oscar was one of only 3,000 black physicians in the United States, earning a degree in medicine in 1909.
For eight years (1985–1993) he commuted daily by plane between the two cities, earning him the nicknames "The Fly Jock" and "The Hardest Working Man in Radio".
[9] He later told Radio Ink magazine that he racked up seven million frequent flyer miles over the course of his employment at both stations; a travel agent had found him a $30,000 fare that would guarantee him a round-trip seat for five years.
Also featured were celebrity guests, on-site remotes (called "Sky Shows"), and an on-air soap opera, It's Your World which is currently not aired.
While the program achieved top ratings for a weekly syndicated program themed to African American viewers — even taking the number one show position, although it was in a late night time slot — in such markets as New York and Atlanta, affiliates in other markets were reluctant to upgrade the show to prime time for a targeted audience.
Despite award recognition, in May 2006, Joyner decided not to continue due to production costs related to the music variety show concept.
[12] As for his radio career, Tom Joyner continues to be an influential broadcaster: the TJMS is heard live in over 100 cities, both on-air and via streaming audio, through its syndicator, Reach Media.
[14][15] The mission of the foundation is to support historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) through student scholarship, endowment, and capacity building enhancements.
[15] The Tom Joyner Foundation also hosts an annual cruise named the Fantastic Voyage which also raises money for HBCUs.
[17] The Hercules Scholarship, named after Tom Joyner's late father, targets male HBCU students enrolled in the School of the Month program.
The Full Ride Scholarship is awarded to one freshman entering a HBCU each year, in recognition of academic distinction and personal qualities.
[19] Central State University[20] in Wilberforce, Ohio, partnered with the foundation by donating $10,000 to jumpstart the program that offers support in the following areas: The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE),[21] which administers the Semester at Sea study abroad program, partnered with The Tom Joyner Foundation (TJF) to fund two full scholarships for students attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to participate in global voyages.
In February 2009, Amber Books published Tom Joyner Presents How to Prepare for College, a primer for parents and their children offering specific suggests and advice.
[38][39] Joyner was inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site on January 12, 2008.