SPOTLIGHT
initiatives in underserved communi- ties. Together, they share a passion for service, education, and the arts. In 1999, Brother Thomas was Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation President and he and Silhouette Thomas donated $15,000, which the Foundation matched, to establish the Horace Mann Bond Book Award at Harvard University. The first award went to Professor David Levering Lewis for the first volume of W.E.B. Du Bois: The Fight for Equality and the American Century, 1919-1963 (Henry Holt and Company). The book later won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography. The Bond Book Award is conferred annually and the fund is currently capitalized in excess of $80,000. In addition, the Thomas’ have also established an Endowed Prize for Academic Excellence to recognize academic excellence at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. BUILDING AN ENDURING INSTITUTION FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN ART The library’s impact has been sig- nificant since its inception. “Unlike popular novels and other such works, art historical books are often published in limited editions and may never be reprinted,” Thomas explains. “This makes it imperative to acquire works when they are first published, as later acquisition can be costly. I purchased a volume on Aaron Douglas in 2008 for $37.80. Today, the same book sells for over $174.” The Thomas Library works in conjunction with the University of Maryland’s David C. Driskell Center
Thomas (left) and Professor David C. Driskell.
“ONE OF THE GREATEST NEEDS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN ART IS THE DOCUMENTATION OF ARTISTS’ WORK, PRACTICES, AND EXHIBITIONS.”
for the Study of Visual Arts & Culture of African Americans & The African Diaspora (DCDC) to ensure the preservation of critical art catalogs, books, and publications with limited circulation. “The DCDC is a repository of important art historical artifacts,” Thomas notes. “One of the greatest
needs in African American art is the documentation of artists’ work, prac- tices, and exhibitions. My goal is for there to be a catalog for all exhibitions at the DCDC. Artists of quality should
have their work documented.” The Thomas Library priori- tizes collections that highlight
34 THE JOURNAL ♦ FALL 2024
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