Herman B. Thomas, Jr. 1947–2018 21 st Province Polemarch of the Northeastern Province Member of THE SIX, INC.
B eloved 21 st Province Polemarch of the Northeastern Province Brother Herman Thomas Jr. entered the Chapter Invisible on August 17, 2018. Born June 25, 1947 in Valdosta, GA., Herman Buster Thomas Jr. was the son of the late Herman Sr. and Betty Thomas. After graduating high school, Thomas attended and graduated from Morris Brown College located in Atlanta, GA. While a student at Morris Brown, Thomas joined the fraternity as a 1967 initiate of Morris Brown College Chap- ter, the Beta Delta of Kappa Alpha Psi ® where served as the chapter’s Keeper of Records. After college, Thomas worked as a teacher in the Harrisburg (PA) School District for several years prior to working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Public Welfare, Juvenile Justice Department of which after many years of service he retired. He served in the U.S. Army and reserve unit in Harris- burg raising to the rank of Staff Sergeant prior to his retirement in 2005.
In 1991, 27 th Grand Polemarch Robert Harris, Esq. named Thomas as the 21 st Polemarch of the Northeastern Province where he led the province for four years. In addition to his tenure as province polemarch, Thomas served for many years Grand Chapter as its Nominating Chairman. “Brother Thomas was a passionate pro- pionate of Brotherhood at every level of Kappa Alpha Psi. His love for our Frater- nity will always be dear to my memories of him,” stated Past East Central Prov- ince Polemarch Eric S. Morris. “Brother Herman Thomas was a unique Brother. He was revered in the North- eastern Province, having served as Prov- ince Keeper of Records for several years; having been elected later as Senior Prov- ince Vice Polemarch in the 1980s, and eventually being appointed as Province Polemarch in 1991 by Attorney Robert Harris, the 27 th Grand Polemarch. But his elevation to almost “legendary” status in the Northeastern Province was by him, secondary to his devotion to Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, following his initiation in
1967. In that regard, Kappa needs more Brothers like Herman B. Thomas,” said Past Southwestern Province Polemarch Emerson Lattimore. Thomas was a past recipient of the Northeastern Province’s James M. Kidd Distinguished Service Award. In 2017 he had proudly received his 50-year mem- bership pin as well as his white Kappa blazer. A stalwart member of Harrisburg (PA) Alumni Chapter, Thomas also held membership in the Bethel AME Church in Harrisburg, PA, Harrisburg chapter of N.A.A.C.P. and was a long-time board member of the Friends of Midland where he enjoyed preserving history. He was a 32 nd Degree Mason with Cho- sen Friends #43 of Harrisburg, member of Nimrod Consistory #9 and Shrine Himyar Temple #17. Robert W. Scales, Jr., Past South Central Province Polemarch stated, “Herman B. Thomas - Kappa Man Personified! Two of the great milestones in Herman B. Thomas’ Kappa Kareer were that of his
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