Our First Lady

The Reverend Lydia White Thomas

was born in Washington, DC to Rev. & Mrs. L. W. White. She attended the public schools of Washington, DC and was very active musically throughout her educational experience. While in High School, she directed the McKinley Tech High School Gospel Choir and several choirs at the Mt. Bethel Baptist Church, where her father was Pastor.

She attended West Virginia Wesleyan College as a Communications and Music Major and formed the first Black Student Union Gospel Choir. Her oratorical talents excelled while attending Towson State University as a Communications Major with a concentration in Public Speaking.

While at Towson State, she also assisted the Browns Memorial Baptist Church as Assistant Minister of Music; formed the Youth Outreach Community Program; youth choir and was very active with the Youth Division of the Baltimore Chapter of the NAACP. She has been blessed to accompany and or work with various gospel artist such as, Richard Smallwood, Albertina Walker, Dr. Dee, Carlton Burgess and others.

She is currently the Minister of Music at Riverside Baptist Church. She is the proud wife of Rev. Dr. J. Madison Thomas Jr., Pastor Riverside Baptist Church and supports various organizations, but has a passion for the youth. She is also an active member and former Vice President of the Interdenominational Council of Minister’s Wives and Widows of Washington DC and vicinity.

She is the proud Stepmother of Shawn Thomas and grandmother of Adrien Maxwell Thomas. Her favorite scripture is the 139th Psalm, and her favorite saying is “ Don’t worry about things today; it’s all in God’s hand- because this time tomorrow, today will be over.