SPOTLIGHT

Franklin A. Thomas, 1934 to 2021

This special issue of The LAFF Society newsletter is a tribute to the man, his accomplishments and his legacy from many who worked with him.

LAFF Remembers Franklin Thomas: Co-Presidents’ Reflections

Those of us who had the honor of working at the Foundation during his tenure appreciated his powerful influence, which stemmed from his quiet but firm approach to leadership.

He Left the World a Better Place

By Susan Berresford

Frank was committed to building a diverse staff that resembled the world we worked in. He often said that the strength of the Foundation resided significantly in its employees worldwide

A Man of “Vision, Tenacity and Dignity”

By Barron Tenny

Frank was understated and not one to lavish praise. I remember feeling good when he returned a work product of mine with a handwritten note saying, “I am not displeased with this”.

Celebrating the Remarkable Legacy of Franklin Thomas

By Darren Walker

While Frank surely changed the world, perhaps equally remarkable is what never changed about Frank: his humility, his generosity, his equanimity.

“A True Humanitarian”

By Shepard Forman

Frank’s tenure was a period of intense learning and growth, during which I developed an abiding appreciation for Frank as a person and as a boss.

From the Class of ’92: “We worked for Frank”

By Radhika Balakrishnan, Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos, Natalia Kanem, Anthony Romero and Marcia Smith. Each of us was drawn to Ford’s mission and history, its commitment to causes, issues and institutions that had animated our early careers. But in all candor, we also came to work for Frank Thomas.

Grantees: “Up Front and in the Center”

By Charles Bailey

Frank underscored the notion that staff should live and work as close as possible to those who were tackling significant challenges with Ford money.

Taking Risks “Is What We Do”

By Steven W. Lawry

“Franklin Thomas transformed the Ford Foundation from a technical assistance organization to a humanistic organization.”

A Leader With “Vision and Courage”

By Barry D. Gaberman

Frank had a vision that put gender, diversity and equity as a priority in everything the Foundation did, not as just a cluster of discrete program categories among many others.

Forging “New Paths on Multiple Fronts”

By Judy Barsalou

In his collegial and good-humored way, Frank led the Foundation to forge new paths on multiple fronts and demonstrated qualities that any young program officer would do well to emulate.

How to Lead: True to Oneself and “With Confidence, Trust and Kindness”

By Mora McLean

To have known Frank and benefited from his mentoring is a gift of great fortune that I strive to pay forward.

“The Tallest Tree in Our Forest”

By Akwasi Aidoo

Frank’s Sunsum and Nkrabea have left a trailblazing legacy for an endless period.

“Pivotal” Support for Programs in China

By Mark Sidel

After the Beijing office opened, Ford Foundation was faced with the questions of what to do after the 1989 spring and June 4 events in Beijing.

Presidents’ Update: The Future of LAFF

The LAFF Society has come to a moment in its evolution when we need to be more vigorous in attracting new members, more efficient in meeting their needs and more effective in communicating with each other.

“Living into My Life”

By Joy Carol

We might not be able to be cured or healed, but we can choose how we respond to our challenges, no matter how difficult they may be.

Music in the Time of Covid: Stellar Performances Online

By George Gelles

Since last Spring, when the pandemic’s dangers were widely acknowledged and “live” performances were suspended, musicians and dancers have begun to show great imagination in rethinking their art, its creation and dissemination.

Brian Urquhart Meets Sam Nujoma in Swakopmund

By Steven W. Lawry

John Gerhart’s fax read: “Brian Urquhart, Ford Foundation Scholar-in-Residence and one of the great men of the 20th century, visiting your office in Windhoek next month. Please make all necessary arrangements.”

With “A Dollop of Nostalgia”

This is the 100th issue of The LAFF Society’s newsletter, the first coming out in the Fall of 1991, not long after LAFF’s founding.

A Journey to Bismarck: Finding “Generosity of Spirit”

Roberta Uno seeks to understand her family’s ordeal as internees during World War II, and finds a “generosity of spirit” linking cultures and generations.

The Role of Communities in Resolving Disputes

Two articles that explore the persistent, divisive national problem that has taken on greater significance with the recent eruption of racial conflicts: the pressing need for “serious investments in conflict resolution in our communities”.

Memoirs of an International Life

Excerpts from a self-published memoir by William Gamble, an odyssey replete with personal and professional details, from mundane to physically harrowing, painting a full and fascinating picture of the life of a Ford Foundation overseas representative and his family in the early days of the foundation’s international work.

Book Review: A “Compelling Context” for “Profound Pessimism”

By Thomas Seessel

Tom Seessel probes the meanings and lessons derived from The End of the Myth, the 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winning study of the shifting meaning of the frontier in this country’s history, a book that expresses “profound pessimism about America’s future”.

Book Review: A Collection of Pieces by a Singular Patron of the Performing Arts

By George Gelles

George Gelles examines the collected writings of W. McNeil Lowry, the Ford Foundation’s legendary promoter of the arts who The New York Times called “the single most influential patron of the performing arts that the American democratic system has produced”.

Ten Things Hollywood Can Do to Fight Racism and Promote Justice

By Alan Jenkins

There are a range of concrete actions that the film and television industry can take, right now, to fight racism and promote justice.

From LAFF’s Archive: The Spirit of 76

Howard R. Dressner, a former Foundation vice president, “with eloquent and searing language, portrays the world in which the Ford Foundation found its expanding voice….”

Share Your Papers With Ford’s Archives

The Information Management team is requesting materials from all Ford staff.

A Reminder: Record Your Recollections

Members are urged to continue to contribute to LAFF’s Recollections Project, a gathering of individual reminiscences designed “to contribute to the institutional memory of the Ford Foundation and to help us get to know each other better.”

From LAFF’s Archive: Thinking About Doc

Remembering the late Harold “Doc” Howe II, with excerpts from his book, Thinking About Our Kids: An Agenda for American Education.

A Small Grant Can Go a Long Way: Norm Collins and Contributions to Native American Governance

By Michael Lipsky

An initiative to promote “excellence in governance among American Indian nations” began with a small Foundation grant made years earlier by the late Norman R. Collins.

From LAFF’s Archive: Consolations of Retirement

The late F. Champion Ward wrote the following waggish item about life after retirement.

Two TV Mini-Series with Ford Connections

Recent acclaimed television series include the stories of two former Ford Foundation figures, Roberta Uno and Franklin Thomas.

Newsletter Index

Nellie Toma, LAFF’s secretary-treasurer, has completed the arduous task of indexing every newsletter since the Society’s inception in 1991.

LAFF PARADE

LAFFing Parade, Winter 2021

3/10/2021

Bonnie Jenkins, Don Chen, Cristobal J. Alex, Bird Runningwater, Jon Funabiki, Mark Baumgartner, and Mildred Warner are in the news.

CLIPPINGS

Selection Of Articles Published Elsewhere

Remembering Urvashi

5/19/2022

Urvashi Vaid, a pioneering LGBTQ+ civil rights activist is remembered by Bradford K. Smith.

In Memory of Franklin Augustine Thomas

1/12/2022

Franklin A. Thomas Memorial Service on January 9, 2022.

Celebrating the remarkable legacy of Franklin Thomas

By Darren Walker | 12/26/2021

Franklin Thomas was a giant—an American original; a singular leader; an iconic figure in the history of the Ford Foundation and philanthropy, our city and all cities, our nation and the world.

Franklin A. Thomas, Pathbreaking Ford Foundation President, Dies at 87

12/24/2021

He rose from working-class Brooklyn to become the first Black person to run a major American philanthropy, and he revitalized it, shifting its focus to poverty and education.

Dr. Akwasi Aidoo A pioneer and an inspirational leader

8/6/2021

Lifetime Recognition: Dr. Akwasi Aidoo’s Role in Promoting African Philanthropy and Leadership

In Memoriam 2021

8/5/2021

From David Arnold: Suzanne Siskel’s husband, Peter Gajewski, passed away July 15, 2021 following a long illness. Peter was a remarkable individual …

Carnegie Corporation NY announces search for new president

8/5/2021

Carnegie Corporation of New York, the foundation established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911, seeks a visionary leader who can help fulfill the institution’s mission of promoting …

Doris Keniry

6/20/2021

Doris Keniry, 85, of Palm Desert, California, passed away unexpectedly on June 10, 2021.

We are posting here the views of LAFF members on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. We anticipate this will be the beginning of a communal dialog among our members as they cope with the uncertainties of the spread and severity of the virus, and try to imagine an altered world.

While written at specific times during this rapidly changing global crisis, these articles offer both a timeline of individual reactions and perspectives on how we can, and should, prepare for when the pandemic fades and a new worldview emerges.

We hope members will send both original pieces and reprints of articles they have published elsewhere. Submissions may be sent to John LaHoud, editor of LAFF’s newsletter and website, at .

From Manila: A Community Leader’s Assessment

By Jeorgie Tenolete and Mary Racelis A local activist in a suburb of Manila, deals with the "staggering challenge of mobilizing a huge community of urban poor households to combat the looming health and economic disasters facing them”. …read more.