Jefferson Thomas

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Jefferson Thomas(1942 –) was one of the Little Rock Nine. Thomas is the youngest of seven children. Before enrolling at Central High School, he attended Horace Mann High School and was a member of the track team. A quiet student, Thomas was often a target for bullies at Central. He graduated from Central High School in 1960. ^[1]

Thomas narrated the United States Information Agency's 1964 film Nine From Little Rock. In the film Thomas said, "If Little Rock taught us nothing more, it taught us that problems can make us better. Much better." The goal of this government propaganda film, in the context of the Cold War, was to show countries concerned about American racism the supposed progress the United States had made with respect to civil rights. It achieved this goal at least in part as the film received wide acclaim (including an Academy Award) and was distributed to 97 countries.^[2]

As an adult, Thomas worked as an accountant for the United States Department of Defense. Along with the rest of the Little Rock Nine, he has received the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP as well as the Congressional Gold Medal.^[3]

[edit] References

1. ^ http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=728]
2. ^ Dudziak, Mary L., Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy, Princeton University Press, 2000, 218-219.
3. ^ http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=728]