Henry M. Thomas III
Remembering the legacy of the Springfield Center's namesake
In 2024, the UMass Amherst Center at Springfield’s Tower Square location was renamed to honor Henry M. Thomas III. Thomas was a civil rights advocate and the first person of color to lead the UMass Board of Trustees.
Thomas served on the Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2020 and as chair of the board from 2012 to 2015. When the Springfield center opened in 2014, Thomas stated it would provide “hope and the promise for a better future for the residents of Springfield and the area at large.”
Thomas was a Springfield native who made his mark on the city as an All-American running-back at American International College. He later earned a law degree from Western New England University School of Law.
At age 25, Thomas became the youngest president and CEO of a National Urban League affiliate. He remained in that role for 39 years, working on programs to help inner city youth. His legacy included the revival of Historic Camp Atwater in North Brookfield, the oldest African American overnight camp in the U.S. Thomas had attended the camp as a youth.
Thomas’ weekly radio program, “Urban League Community Focus,” made his voice a community staple. He also served on a number of local boards, including the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, Massachusetts Board of Education, New Leadership Charter School, Step Up Springfield, Hamden County Regional Employment Board, Springfield Cable TV Endowment, Springfield Fire Commission, Springfield Police Commission, and the Western Massachusetts Sports Commission.
Thomas passed away in June 2026 at the age of 77. His work in education and community engagement have had a lasting impact on the UMass Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center at Springfield.
Remembering Thomas, UMass President Marty Meehan said: “His commitment to UMass and to his hometown of Springfield was central to everything he did, and his legacy will impact young people in Springfield for generations to come.”