Leroy Almon was born to James Roosevelt Almon and Bennie Mae Armstrong in Tallapoosa, Georgia on November 18, 1938. When he was six years old, Almon moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to join his mother who had moved there previously. In Cincinnati, Almon completed high school at Central High. He then studied two years at Kentucky State University before serving a six-month assignment in the United States Army in 1961. In 1962, following his discharge from the military, Almon married Etta Mae Lewis and had one child, Leroy Almon Jr.

Mr. Almon first worked as a shoe salesman for Schiff’s Shoe Company before serving as a supervisor for the Coca Cola Company. It was during this time that Almon began his artistic mentorship with Elijah Pierce and began to produce artwork. In 1985, Almon married a second time to Mary Alice Thompson and had another son who they named Elisha.

In 1991, Almon moved back to Tallapoosa and became involved with the Mt. Newley Baptist Church and was later licensed as a minister. Almon also served as a dispatcher for the Tallapoosa police department for several years, while doing wood carving and Christian ministry part time. He left the department in order to give his full time to Folk Art and ministry. Almon passed away on April 19, 1997.

Leroy Almon continues to be recognized as a prominent folk artist from the southeast United States with some of his works showcased in the Smithsonian, the High Art Museum, and the House of Blues. Almon’s artworks depict contemporary, historical, and religious themes and are generally commentaries on African American and American life.