Lowell Thomas Jr. Papers, 1938-2014

Summary

Creator:
Lowell Thomas Jr. (1923-2016)
Abstract:
Lowell Thomas Jr. was born on 6 October 1923 in London, England, to Lowell Jackson Thomas (1892-1981) and Frances Ryan Thomas (1893-1975). His early childhood was spent in New York City and would spend weekends at the family home in Quaker Hill. In 1949, he and his father, Lowell Thomas Sr. became two of the few Westerners allowed entry into Tibet. In 1958, he and his wife, Mary “Tay” Pryor flew to Alaska with their toddler Anne and fell in love with the territory where they would remain residents for the rest of their lives. Soon after moving to Anchorage, Lowell Thomas Jr. began his many years of public service. Lowell Thomas Jr. devoted much of his time and money to conservation issues and public service, and he and Tay aided many charitable causes. This collection consists of materials created or saved by Lowell Thomas Jr. including various documents and memorabilia. Materials on his political career include newspaper clippings correspondences, and a book. This collection also contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, and notes on Lowell Thomas Jr.’s environmental involvement, personal life, as well as materials on his travels to Tibet, Turkey, and Persia.
Extent:
90.5 Linear feet 40 Boxes 379 Folders
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Description of item, date, location of item in order of series, box number, folder number], in the John Roberts Papers, Archives and Special Collections, James A. Cannavino Library, Marist College

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of materials created or saved by Lowell Thomas Jr. including various documents and memorabilia. Materials on his political career include newspaper clippings correspondences, and a book. This collection also contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, and notes on Lowell Thomas Jr.’s environmental involvement, personal life, as well as materials on his travels to Tibet, Turkey, and Persia. There are many objects in this collection including serval cameras and film materials, clothes, and achievements. This collection also contains numerous photographs, including photographs of Lowell Thomas Sr. and personal photographs of Lowell Thomas Jr. and friends.

Biographical / historical:

Lowell Thomas Jr. was born on 6 October 1923 in London, England, to Lowell Jackson Thomas (1892-1981) and Frances Ryan Thomas (1893-1975). His early childhood was spent in New York City due to his father’s work broadcasting a nightly radio news show. He and his parents would spend weekends at the family home in Quaker Hill.

After graduating from Taft School in 1942, Lowell Thomas Jr. went to Dartmouth College before his studies were interrupted by World War II and he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Before he could see combat, he suffered from an illness and, instead, became a flight instructor during the war. Following the war, he returned to Dartmouth and graduated in the class of 1946. Lowell Thomas Jr. developed passions for flying and skiing that he would continue for the rest of his life. After graduation, he traveled to Iran and Turkey, where he collected materials for travelogues that he presented on a U.S. tour during the winter of 1948-49.

In 1949, he and his father, Lowell Thomas Sr., the renowned broadcaster, writer, and world traveler became two of the few Westerners allowed entry into Tibet. The responsibility for filming, photographing, and tape recording the sights and sounds of Tibetan life fell mostly to Lowell Thomas Jr. During the journey back out of Tibet, his father was thrown from his horse shattering his hip. The rough, narrow roads to and from Tibet would not allow the passage of automobiles and with little medical supplies, Lowell Thomas Jr. created a makeshift stretcher for his father. Lowell Thomas Jr. wrote the bestselling book, Out of This World, and later produced a documentary of the same name. In 2005, the Dalai Lama referred to him as “one of the genuine grandfathers of the Tibet movement in America” and bestowed upon him the International Campaign for Tibet’s Light of Truth Award.

Following his return from Tibet, Lowell Thomas Jr. married Mary “Tay” Pryor. They were married for 64 years until her death in 2014. In 1954, he and Tay bought a Cessna 180 in which they traveled much of the globe while documenting their travels. They would publish articles on their trip and co-wrote the book, Our Flight to Adventure.

In 1958, they flew to Alaska with their toddler Anne and fell in love with the territory. Two years later, they would relocate there and would remain residents of Alaska for the rest of their lives.

Soon after moving to Anchorage, Lowell Thomas Jr. began his many years of public service. After unsuccessfully running twice for the U.S. House, he ran for state Senate. From 1967 to 1974, Lowell Thomas Jr. represented the Alaska Senate from District E as a Republican.

Thomas also became deeply involved in conservation issues. Some of his notable contributions were his work against the bounty hunting of wolves and work that led to the establishment of Chugach State Park in 1970.

In 1974, Lowell Thomas Jr. was elected as Alaska’s third lieutenant governor under Governor Jay Hammond. However, a controversy arose after remarks Thomas made were interpreted as approving of apartheid in South Africa. Hammond backed Thomas, calling it a hypocritical smear, but accepted his decision not to seek a second term.

Following his time in office, Lowell Thomas Jr. bought Talkeetna Air Taxi Service in 1981, an Alaskan bush pilot service, and remained an active pilot into his 80s. He shuttled skiers in the Alaska Range and onto North America’s tallest peak, Denali in his Helio Courier. Lowell Thomas Jr. has logged over 10,000 hours in the air without ever scratching a plane. In 2012, Lowell Thomas Jr. was inducted into the Aviation Museum Hall of Fame to which he also donated his beloved Helio Courier.

Lowell Thomas Jr. devoted much of his time and money to conservation issues and public service, and he and Tay aided many charitable causes. Among the many organizations the Thomases supported were the Alaska Conservation Foundation, the National Parks, and the Conservation Association. He helped to create the Thomas Planetarium at the Anchorage Museum, the Thomas Training Center on Eagle Glacier near Girdwood, and the Thomas Center for Senior Living at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Lowell Thomas Jr. was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the National Parks Conservation Association in 1995 and awarded the William Penn Mott Jr. Leadership Award by the Alaska Conservation Foundation in 2004. In 2011, the Alaska Conservation Foundation established the Lowell Thomas, Jr. Award for outstanding achievement by an Alaskan-based organization or program.

Lowell Thomas Jr. wrote several books, including Out of This World: Across the Himalayas to Forbidden Tibet, The Silent War in Tibet, and Our Flight to Adventure.

On 1 October 2016, Lowell Thomas Jr., aged 92, died.

Acquisition information:
The collection was donated to Marist College Archives Special Collections by the Thomas family.
Arrangement:

This collection is organized into eight series: 1) Political, 2) Conservation issues and public service, 3) Personal, 4) Tibet, 5) Turkey and Persia, 6) Objects, 7) Photographs and Film Negatives, and 8) Miscellany.

Accruals:

No accruals are expected.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

There are no restrictions on this collection

Terms of access:

Individuals requesting reproductions expressly assume the responsibility for compliance with all pertinent provisions of the Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. ss101 et seq. Patrons further agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Marist College Archives and Special Collections and its staff in connection with any disputes arising from the Copyright Act, over the reproduction of material at the request of patrons. For more information please visit the following website: http://www.loc.gov/copyright/title17/.

Preferred citation:

[Description of item, date, location of item in order of series, box number, folder number], in the John Roberts Papers, Archives and Special Collections, James A. Cannavino Library, Marist College

Location of this collection:
3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
845-575-3364
library.archives@marist.edu