RONALD THOMAS
Morehouse College
- Chair, Journalism in Sports, Culture, and Social Justice Program
- Associate Professor
Education
-
University of Rochester
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science -
Northwestern University
Master of Arts, Journalism
Ron Thomas became the original director of Morehouse College’s Journalism and Sports Program in 2007 and is an associate professor in the English Department. He administers one of the few journalism programs in the nation with a sports emphasis, teaches basic news writing and sports reporting, and advises the Maroon Tiger student news organization.
Before coming to Morehouse, for 34 years he covered major college and professional sports mainly in the Bay Area and at USA Today, where he was its first pro basketball reporter. His beats included the NBA, the San Francisco 49ers and Giants, and periodically professional tennis. Read his past work and his blog “My Take” at www.ronthomas.news.
Inspired by the writings of Dr. Harry Edwards and Sports Illustrated’s Jack Olsen in the 1960s, Thomas has specialized in writing about the racial dynamics of sports. His book “They Cleared the Lane: the NBA’s Black Pioneers” is the first one written about the integration of the NBA in 1950 after black players were secretly banned from the league. His 1994 book chapter, “Blacks Still Rare in the Press Box,” chronicled the relative lack of black sports reporters, a problem that persists today.
In 2017, Thomas received the Morehouse College Professor of the Year Award and the Legacy Award given by the National Association of Black Journalists. Thomas received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Rochester and his master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern.
Contact:
Email
ron.thomas@morehouse.edu
Office Location
Brawley 103R
Phone
(470) 639-0359
Office Hours
Monday and Wednesday
12:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m.
AWARDS AND HONORS
- 2017, Morehouse College Professor of the Year
- National Association of Black Journalists Legacy Award
- Excellence in Sports Journalism Lifetime Achievement Award, Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport and School of Journalism
- National Association of Black Journalists award for best sports column at newspapers with circulations under 150000. Column entitled “Why So Few?” examined lack of black NFL head coaches. (1999)
ORGANIZATIONS
- National Association of Black Journalists, Co-Host, Sports Task Force Pioneer Awards
- William Monroe Trotter Group, Member
featured CONTENT
- The Buffalo News, June 23, 2020: His love of sports led to a dream career. It started at War Memorial
- HuffPost, July 24, 2013: ‘The Talk’ Has a Double Meaning for Black People
Ron Thomas: On Topic – The Great Replacement Theory
In light of the recent Buffalo shooting tragedy, Buffalo native and director of Morehouse’s Journalism, Sports, Culture and Social Justice Program, Ron Thomas joins On Topic to discuss “The Great Replacement Theory” and its current threats to democracy in America.
Realizing the Dream: Ron Thomas
As a tribute to February’s Black History Month, ESPN will feature people at colleges and universities who do work benefiting the African American community. Ron Thomas, who has been the Morehouse Journalism & Sports programs director since its inception in 2007, and 12 others will each be profiled in 30-second vignettes that run during commercial breaks of college basketball games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN-U.
Edwin Moses, John Carlos, Ron Thomas | Illuminated by Morehouse Ep2- The Olympics: Back and Forward
Olympic legends Edwin Moses ’78 and John Carlos (who shook the world by raising a fist on the victory podium) discuss their history making influence as well as Simone Biles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Simone Manuel, and the state of sports today, including athletic advocacy and rights, mental health, and diversity. Hosted by associate professor Ron Thomas, director of the new Journalism in Sports, Culture, & Social Justice major. Welcome to Illuminated by Morehouse Ep2 : The Olympics: A Look Back & The Path Forward.
