Scope and arrangement
The Fred Thomas papers, dating from 1931 to 1998, consist primarily of the records Thomas accumulated as treasurer of the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM). They also hold scrapbooks, letters, programs, and photographs documenting the singer's performance career; and the papers of Alfred Howe, a friend of Thomas's.
Thomas's NANM records date from the 1950s to the late 1990s. Some relate only to the association's Brooklyn chapter, Mu Te Or. The files include annual reports, correspondence with other officers, budgets, treasurer expense reports, newsletters, annual convention programs, performance programs, contact lists, financial statements, meeting minutes, constitutions, by-laws, and membership guidelines.
Thomas's personal papers mainly document his singing career. They are composed of scrapbooks of clippings, programs, and photographs; loose programs, photographs, and clippings; letters from friends, managers, and fans; Thomas's military records and letters; files for Norristown High School and Cheyney State Teachers College holding yearbooks, alumni association letters, and reunion programs; and correspondence and programs regarding Saint Mark's United Methodist Church. The photographs include publicity headshots and personal photographs of family and friends. Most photographs are in box 2, folder 3.
Alfred Howe appears to have been a friend of Thomas. He attended high school at the Williston Academy in Easthampton, Massachussetts (now the Williston Northampton School), and was a designer. His papers, dating from 1931 to 1948, include Williston Academy yearbooks; personal letters; photographs of family and friends; and clothing and architecture designs.
Arrangement
The collection is in two divisions: the Alfred Howe Papers and the Fred Thomas Files. Thomas's papers are in two sections: Personal Papers and National Association of Negro Musicians Records.