Charles Columbus Thomas, BA, MFA, PhD, Hon DL, Presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis
Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who
Dr. Thomas has been endorsed by Marquis Who’s Who as a leader in the education industry
NEW YORK, NY, August 14, 2019, Marquis Who’s Who, the world’s premier publisher of biographical profiles, is
proud to present Charles Columbus Thomas, BA, MFA, PhD, Hon DL, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime
Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Thomas celebrates many years’ experience in his professional
network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in
his field. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current
reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all
taken into account during the selection process.
With more than 55 years of experience in education and the arts to his credit, Dr. Thomas has become an authority in
his industry and currently serves as an Associate Professor at the CUNY College of Staten Island. He is currently
establishing The Thomas-Threat Museum of Oklahoma and Black Native American History in McAlester, Oklahoma;
he purchased the property and will serve as the curator. “This was a dream come true,” he said. Dr. Thomas also
produces and performs on the Charles Thomas Show (Spectrum MNN (Manhattan Neighborhood Network)), a weekly
show that has aired every Saturday since 2008.
Previously, he excelled as Chairman of music at Benjamin Franklin Junior High School in San Francisco, the chairman
of music and dance at Lefferts Junior High School in Brooklyn, and an assistant professor and director of African
American studies at Richmond College of the CUNY. Likewise, he is a past chair of the performing and creative arts
department at the CUNY College of Staten Island. Dr. Thomas is the founder and director of the men’s chorus at St.
James Presbyterian Church in New York City, a vocalist-in-residence at Parlor Entertainment Jazz at Marjorie Eliot’s,
and a consultant at the Romare Bearden Foundation while an adjunct assistant professor at the New York City College
of Technology. Prior to becoming an esteemed educator and artist, Dr. Thomas earned a Bachelor of Arts in music
from Langston University of Oklahoma 1962, a Master of Fine Arts in speech and theater from Brooklyn College in
1973, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the City University of New York . At CUNY, he helped to found and
establish:The College of Staten Island, The Black Male Initiative (BMI), Institute of Haitian Studies, The Poetry
Center, CSI Center For the Arts, CSI Repertory Theatre and Dance Ensembles, and African Study Abroad Tours as
Visiting Professor to West African Universities of Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.
Outside of his career, Dr. Thomas volunteered his time in his field and community. He served the Sandy Ground
Historical Society, Grammy in the Schools, the Mayor’s Council on Youth and Physical Fitness, and the Urban League
of Staten Island. Apart from his professional responsibilities, Dr. Thomas remains informed of the advancements in his
field through relevant organizations. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television
and Radio Artists, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Recording Academy and Omega Psi Phi
Fraternity,Inc. Dr. Thomas has acted in a number of opera productions, including “Gethsemane Park,” “Treemonisha”
and “God’s Trombones.”
In light of his accomplishments in the field, Dr. Thomas has received a number of awards and accolades throughout
his career. He received the Xi Phi Achievement Award from Omega Psi Phi at Columbia University in 2000, a
Presidential Citation from the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education in 1995, the AUDELCO
Theatre Award in 1990, and NAACP Humanitarian Award in 1990. Notably, Dr. Thomas received an Honorary Doctor
of Letters from the International Biographical Center, Cambridge, England, in 2017. Dr. Thomas has also been
featured in several editions of Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who’s Who community, Dr. Thomas has
been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for
more information about this honor.