Mrs. Carolyn B. Thomas was a career social worker, a church worker, a founder of the community Food Center of Western New York (the papers of the Food Center are in a separate collection), and an active member of Afro-American Women’s clubs. A short resume compile around 1968 on Mrs. Thomas is included in the finding-aid.

In the spring of 1979, following her retirement from a career as a social worker, Mrs. Thomas turned over the varied collection of records and papers pertaining to her life's work to the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier, Inc., for microfilming.  The papers were organized and indexed by Deborah Williams, an undergraduate student assistant working with Dr. Monroe Fordham at Buffalo State College.  Ms. Williams organized the papers into 16 categories; the full list can be found in the inventory.  The papers were microfilmed for the Association by Monroe Fordham.

1. Biographical Material
2. Personal Scrap Books
3. Church Related Papers
4. Missionary (Church) Related Papers
5. Papers Related to Family Life Consortium
6. Afro-American Women’s Clubs (General)
7. Negro Business & Professional Women’s Club, Buffalo, New York
8. O-RE-LITS (Women’s Club)
9. LITMUS Club (Women’s Club)
10. Perry Projects
11. Advocacy Material
12. Papers Pertaining to Community Involvement (general)
13. Martin Luther King Commemoration Programs, Buffalo, New York
14. Personal Correspondence
15. Writings & Speeches of Carolyn B. Thomas (misc.)
16. Misc. News Paper Clippings

Ms. Carolyn B. Thomas helped found the Community Food Center of Western New York in 1980. The Community Food Center of Western New York Collection is held by the Monroe Fordham Regional History Center and open for research.