Thomas, Franklin: Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation oral histories: NYU Special Collections Finding Aids

Scope and Contents

In this interview, Franklin Thomas discusses the inception and early years of Restoration. He evaluates the unique nature of Restoration and its ideals as an organization. Thomas judges the importance of community involvement in Restoration specifically and the role of community development corporations. Interview conducted by Sady Sullivan.

Biographical / Historical

Born in 1934, Franklin Thomas grew up in and attended public schools in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. He attended Columbia University for both undergraduate and law school. After spending four years with the United States Air Force, Thomas' early career was spent as deputy legal counsel for the New York Police Department; this position led to his appointment as the Executive Director of Restoration. Thomas was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ford Foundation from 1979 to 1996.

Conditions Governing Access and Use

Access to the interview is available onsite at the Brooklyn Historical Society's Othmer Library. Use of the oral histories other than for private study, scholarship, or research requires permission from BHS by contacting library@brooklynhistory.org.

Subjects

Organizations

Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation

Topics

Places

Bedford-Stuyvesant (New York, N.Y.); Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)

Thomas, Franklin, 2008 February 1, inclusive