Page 6 - THOMAS CENTER BROCHURE

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It’s 1961 in Columbia, South Carolina, and Yvonne’s Girl Scout troop has just finished a
meeting. She needs to get home to her parents, a hard-working couple who have raised her
meeting. She needs to get home to her parents, a hard-working couple who have raised her

in a small community and taken great pains to shelter her from the harsh realities outside.
in a small community and taken great pains to shelter her from the harsh realities outside.

tunity at McDonald’s restaurants, Marriott Hotels, Fairfield

Yvonne is running late, so she takes a forbidden shortcut tunity at McDonald’s restaurants, Marriott Hotels, Fairfi eld

Inns, and TownePlace Suites. Now retired, the omases still
through the campus at the University of South Carolina. Inns, and TownePlace Suites. Now retired, the omases still

ere, she is pelted with rocks and racial epithets. She trips stand up, generously and consistently giving of their time and

stand up, generously and consistently giving of their time and
over her shoes, and runs faster. treasure to institutions like Morehouse School of Medicine.
treasure to institutions like Morehouse School of Medicine.
e omases’ stories are told in some circles but are too easily
Yvonne could have kept running, running from this harsh e omases’ stories are told in some circles but are too easily

overlooked. ere is no monument to their hard work and

reality, keeping to herself and avoiding paths of resistance. But overlooked. ere is no monument to their hard work and
she did not. She stood up and kept going. Yvonne vowed to achievements in Atlanta, a city that was a hotbed for civil rights
achievements in Atlanta, a city that was a hotbed for civil rights
attend and graduate from the University of South Carolina, but is seeing some of its African-American history disappear,
but is seeing some of its African-American history disappear,
rubbed away by the broad strokes of gentrifi
cation’s eraser. It is
to show herself and other women what was possible, despite rubbed away by the broad strokes of gentrification’s eraser. It is

the odds. She did just that, and went on to become a successful time for all of us to stand up for the omases — to honor the

time for all of us to stand up for the omases — to honor the

sacrifices, hard work, and the pioneering spirits they’ve shown
businesswoman and philanthropist. sacrifi ces, hard work, and the pioneering spirits they’ve shown
a n d i n s p i r e d i n o t h er s — a n d t o s h o w , t h r o u g h t h i s i n v es t m en t ,
and inspired in others — and to show, through this investment,
and inspired in others — and to show, through this investment,
Since these early days, the two — Henry “Hank” omas, that we all stand up too.

an outspoken and visible activist; Yvonne omas, quiet and

determined — have united, stood up, and kept going. Together For that, we need your help.
they became successful entrepreneurs, owning multiple fran-
chises and empowering others with employment and oppor-

MOREHOUSE COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN—THE HANK & YVONNE THOMAS CENTER