Thom Gossom Jr.

Thom Gossom Jr. is an American actor, author, communications consultant, entrepreneur, and speaker with a background in diversity, inclusion, and collegiate athletics. Gossom earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Auburn University, where he was the first Black athlete in the Southeastern Conference to walk on, earn a full scholarship, and graduate. He was the second African American to play football at Auburn, the first to walk on and earn a scholarship in the Southeastern Conference, and the first African American athlete to letter and graduate from Auburn University. He later completed a Master of Arts in communication from the University of Montevallo in Alabama. Gossom’s experiences navigating the racially charged landscape of the South are documented in the HBO special "Breaking the Huddle," which explores the integration of Southern college football.

Following a brief career in the World Football League and the NFL, Gossom transitioned to broadcasting, working in the news department at a Birmingham television station. He later joined BellSouth in public relations and founded his own firm, Thom Gossom Communications. Gossom and his wife merged their firms to create Best Gurl Inc., providing strategy and communications consulting services. He served as Chair of the Auburn University Foundation Board, overseeing the university’s Billion Dollar Campaign. In recognition of his contributions to athletics, communications, acting, and writing, Gossom received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Auburn Alumni Association.

Gossom’s acting career includes a long run on "In the Heat of the Night," the role of Detective Stern in "Fight Club," and a performance in "Miss Evers' Boys" with Laurence Fishburne and Alfre Woodard. He also played the title character in the NYPD Blue episode "Lost Israel." His television credits include appearances on "Boston Legal," "Chicago Hope," "Touched by an Angel," "CSI," "Without a Trace," "The West Wing," and "ER." Gossom has acted in more than a dozen films and over 75 episodes of television. On stage, his roles include Troy Maxson in "Fences" by August Wilson, Sam Semela in Athol Fugard's "Master Harold...and the Boys," and Donny Dubrow in David Mamet's "American Buffalo."

As an author, Gossom has written the memoir "Walk-On: My Reluctant Journey To Integration at Auburn University," which details his role in collegiate football history. His collection "A Slice of Life" is the first in a series of stories about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. He is co-author of "Just Follow Me" and director and producer of "Quiet Courage: The James Curtis Owens Story," a film produced in association with Auburn University about the first Black athlete to break racial barriers in Deep South college football. Gossom has also written and performed the one-man play "Speak of Me As I Am."

Gossom is a frequent speaker for businesses, universities, corporations, and civic organizations, addressing topics such as author talks, Black heritage, diversity and inclusion, and overcoming adversity. He hosts the weekly livestream talk show "Tuesdays with Thom." Gossom’s career spans acting, writing, consulting, and public speaking, with a focus on diversity, leadership, and communication.