Earl Thomas Tildon was born in Washington, DC January 27, 1936 to Thomas Stockham and Julia Louisa Tildon. He attended public schools, graduating from Dunbar High School in 1953, where he sang in the acapella choir, was a member of the cross-country team, cadet corps, and pitcher for the baseball team. During his high school years, Earl also played baseball with the Kelly Miller Recreation Department team under the tutelage of Reginald “kiYi” Ballard, who taught him the nuances of pitching. Tildon was a star pitcher and pitched successfully the city championship game.
After graduating from Dunbar, he transitioned to Central State College (later University) in Wilberforce, OH. There he played baseball, succeeding John Roseboro who was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent before the 1952 season and promoted to the major leagues in June 1957 at the age of 24. Earl received a BS in Business Administration in June 1959.
While at Central State, he was initiated into the Delta Zeta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity in April 1955. After graduation, he joined the Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter in 1959, and subsequently became a member of the Hyattsville/Landover (MD) Alumni Chapter, and the Winter Park (FL) Alumni Chapter. He served as Chairman, Publicity and Publications Commission of the fraternity from 1999 to 2021. He became the 96th recipient of the Elder Watson Diggs Award in 2011, the second highest award given to a member of the fraternity.
In the late ‘50s and ‘60s, Earl was a community activist and a proactive member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), where he served as a negotiator in Washington, DC, seeking equal rights in department stores, restaurants, hotels and other public accommodations. He did this in conjunction with negotiators from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy; the NAACP, Rev. Edward Hales; Urban League, Sterling Tucker; and others. This experience kicked off a lifetime passion for civil rights for his people that continued until his death.
He retired in 1990 from his primary career after serving more than 31 years in civil service with the Department of Defense and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA and its’ DOD predecessor agencies). He served in numerous management capacities, including Supervisory Statistician with the Per Diem Travel and Transportation Allowance Committee, where he was responsible for military housing, per diem and cost of living allowances for the military all over the world; National Program Manager for the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) Planning Program, and National State and Local Program Manager for the Emergency Operating Centers program, providing financial grants and technical assistance to State and local governments for the development of their Emergency Operating Centers.
In retirement, he pursued numerous consulting opportunities, including; Executive Director, Community Benevolence Corporation, a nonprofit corporation providing funding and technical assistance to at-risk and high-risk youth programs at local levels nationwide; Consultant to Sky Community Development, Inc. – Grant Proposal and seminar and workshop facilitator; Consultant to the President of Directions Data, Inc.; Advisor and Consultant to the President of Drew Dawn Enterprises, Inc., advising minority owned firms doing broad-based consulting; Board of Trustees for Lifeway Christian Resources representing Washington DC and Maryland; and Consultant (Communications Director) for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE).
Earl served in numerous capacities in the Prince Hall Masons, including 33o United Supreme Council, and Prince Hall Shriners, where he served as Executive Assistant to five Imperial Potentates.
Earl placed primary emphasis on his faith, serving God in every way he could. After moving to Florida with his wife Jean in 2008, they joined New Covenant Baptist Church of Orlando, FL under the pastorship of Rev. Dr. Randolph Bracy Jr. and Rev. Dr. Leroy Rose III.
Earl is survived by his wife of 36 years, Jean, and their blended family son, Derek (Sharon†); daughters, Tiffany (Vernon), Erika, and Ahuvyah; grandchildren, Drew (Caitlin), Dustin, Derek (Jerrica), Dylan, and Gabriel; seven great grandchildren, his first wife, Eva, and a host of family and friends.