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Tommy Garcia/E! Entertainment
Judge Greg Mathis, a national figure and father known for his advocacy campaigns for urban youth and equal justice, is the longest-running African-American male host on television. His inspirational life story of a street youth who rose from jail to Judge has provided hope to millions who watch him on the Emmy Award-winning television court show Judge Mathis and now he is sharing what life is like with his family on E!'s Mathis Family Matters.
Judge Mathis's public service career began in college where he led Free South Africa and voter registration campaigns on campus, while also working nights at McDonalds as a swing manager. After graduating from college in 1983, he joined the staff of Detroit City Councilman Clyde Cleveland and continued to work as an advocate for equal justice with Reverend Jesse Jackson's PUSH Excel, where he currently serves as chairman. Judge Mathis has also served as a national board member of the NAACP and the Morehouse School of Medicine.
Judge Mathis has received numerous awards and keys to the city from government officials and is the recipient of honorary doctorates from both Florida A&M University and Eastern Michigan University. He has been recognized for his efforts by numerous newspapers, magazines and television networks, and has appeared on such shows as The View, The Real, The Tonight Show, Today and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. In May 2022, Judge Mathis was awarded a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, an honor bestowed on luminaries of the entertainment industry. He is also executive producer of the BET+ series American Gangster: Trap Queens.
Judge Mathis is married, and the proud father of four children, and two adorable granddaughters.