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BIOGRAPHY:  Carolyn B. Thomas

Carolyn B. Thomas, a native Georgian, has been married to Eugene D. Thomas for fifty-two years and has been a Buffalo resident since 1952. She is a graduate of Georgia State College and the University at Buffalo, and has completed post-graduate study at UB in the Social Sciences.

Mrs. Thomas was employed at Friendship House in Lackawanna for eleven years; at Child and Family Service Reach-out Program for seven years; and at Westminster Community House for five years.

She has been a member of Bethel AME Church for over forty-four years. She has been a delegate to the AME General Conference Nine Quadrennials for thirty-six years and served on the powerful Episcopal Committee for twenty-four years. She founded and organized the first AME Missionary AREA Society in 1960 in Western New York and the entire connection AME church.

She is a long-standing member of Federated Women's Clubs and organized the So-Re-Lit Debs of the Federated Women's Clubs (Teen Club). Mrs. Thomas also organized the Mary B. Talbert Civic and Cultural Club in Buffalo on February 3, 1974. Through this endeavor she sought to perpetuate the memory of this towering pioneer who made the City of Buffalo her home for many years.

She considers her greatest achievement, in partnership with the Community Action Organization (CAO), to be the establishment of the Western New York Food Bank in 1980. This accomplishment occurred under her direction as President of the Board of Directors. Today, the Food Bank serves 97,000 people in four Western New York counties. Mrs. Thomas is now Chairperson Emeritus.

As a result of her work with the Food Bank, The Buffalo News recognized her as one of the Citizens of the Year in 1983. In addition, she was named Buffalonian of the Year (1990) by former Mayor James Griffin. She has received numerous other awards in recognition of her work including the Sojourner Truth Award by the National Association of Business and Professional Women (1970); Spotlight on Women Award by the Coalition of 100 Black Women (1985); Community Service Award by the NAACP (1985); Volunteer Service Award by the National Conference of Christians and Jews (1985); Evans-Young Award by the Buffalo Urban League (1988); the Queen of Bethel honor (1998) (her husband was honored as King of Bethel the following year); Inductee into the Western New York Women's Hall of Fame (1999); and named one of one hundred leaders in Western New York in the 20th Century (1999).

She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Phi Omega Chapter; the Lit-Mus Study Club; the National Federated Women's Club; and the Women's Missionary Society of Bethel AME Church.