A Black History Moment: Mrs. Daisy Small Thomas

Daisy Thomas was born September 11, 1920, in Boston, Georgia, the youngest of five children born to the late Wesley and Martha Hackett Small. She received Christ at an early age at Centenary Missionary Baptist Church in Boston and her faith enriched her character.

The Boston school system only went as high as the 8th grade and Daisy wanted to get a high school diploma, so her father sent her to live with his sister in St. Augustine, Florida so that Daisy could get a high school diploma and she attended Excelsior High School. While in St. Augustine, Daisy met Samuel Thomas Sr. and it was love at first sight. In 1944, they married in Chester, PA and were married 51 years until his death in 1995. After marriage, they moved to Greensboro, NC because Samuel was in college. While in Greensboro, Daisy joined the St. James Presbyterian Church. Samuel encouraged Daisy to pursue her interest and a few years later, she graduated from the Agricultural & Technical College, specializing in Tailoring, in 1948. Afterwards, she applied to American Gentleman Designing School in New York City. When she was accepted, she became the first black woman to attend that school and earned her degree in 1949. Daisy worked in a shop tailoring men’s suits but at some point, realized that sewing was too boring and left that job. She decided to go back to school while working fulltime as a machinist at the P. Lorillard Tobacco Company in Greensboro, NC. Daisy eventually received a B.S. Degree in History from North Carolina A&T State University in 1968. After graduation, Samuel and Daisy moved to Swainsboro and she began teaching at Lexsy Elementary School in 1968. The next school year, Daisy was selected to teach at Adrian Elementary, an all-white school in Adrian. She was the first black female teacher to integrate the Emanuel County School System. Daisy retired from the Emanuel County Elementary School in Swainsboro in 1988. While in Swainsboro, Daisy became a member of St. James Baptist Church. After retirement, she and Samuel moved to Jonesboro and later to Waldorf, Maryland. While in Jonesboro, Daisy became a member of Shiloh Baptist, then a member of Grace Chapel while in Waldorf, until her health no longer allowed.

Samuel and Daisy had two children, Samuel S. Thomas, Jr. (deceased) and Cassandra E. Thomas Kemp. They were devoted parents that built a life of happy memories. Samuel and Daisy enjoyed traveling and spending time with family and friends. Mrs. Thomas peacefully transitioned to eternal life on December 13, 2023, at the age of 103.

We know Mrs. Daisy touched lots of lives throughout her career. Below are peers and friends that were directly impacted by her.

Mary Ann Peebles quoted: “To know her was to love her. Daisy appreciated the finer arts of life. She was a very fashionable dresser and loved to travel. Daisy was a true friend. She was dependable, patient, kind, and loved others unconditionally. She always generously gave to others. She did more for others than for herself. She was a good listener and never judged others. She always greeted you with a smile. Daisy always treated me with respect, kindness, and love. I am forever grateful for the many years we taught together in Adrian. With Lots of Love.

Whitney Ricks quote: “Mrs. Daisy Thomas was my 4th grade teacher. 1968 she taught US History. You were strict for us to learn. You talked about your daughter all the time. Your main goal was for us to learn. You were always serious. Miss Daisy was one of the best African American dressed teachers.

Other interesting things people may not know about Mrs. Daisy is she was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., her words of wisdom were “love many and trust few”, her favorite colors were bright colors, she loved to cook and eat, Thanksgiving and Christmas were her favorite holidays, dinners were her favorite times, and her hobbies included traveling, gardening and floral arrangements. Mrs. Daisy’s daughter, Cassandra, quoted “Mom had a great insight about people and was known for her great style.”

Elease Turner, retired teacher, facilitated and gathered these collections of memories for this article.