Billie Geter Thomas

Billie Geter Thomas
Thomas, in a 1928 newspaper
Born
William Bryan Geter

1902 (1902)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
DiedAugust 15, 1962(1962-08-15) (aged 59–60)
Gardiner, Maine, U.S.
OccupationsCollege professor, actress
Known forPresident of College Language Association (1956)

William "Billie" Bryan Geter Thomas (1902 – August 15, 1962) was an American educator and actress. She was director of dramatics at Bethune-Cookman College, and taught French at Spelman College from 1933 to 1962. In 1956 she was the first woman to serve as president of the College Language Association.

Early life and education

Geter was born in Jacksonville, Florida, the daughter of Wyatt J. Geter and Alice Priestley Geter; her father was an undertaker and her mother graduated from Fisk University.[1] She studied piano as a teen,[2] and attended the Cushing Academy in Massachusetts, graduating in 1925.[3] She graduated from Boston University and Radcliffe College, with further studies at the University of Paris,[4] the University of Nancy, Middlebury College, and the University of Québec.[5] She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.[6]

Career

Geter taught French and was head of the French department at Spelman College, from 1933 to 1962.[7] In 1956, she was the first woman to serve as president of the College Language Association.[8][9]

Geter Thomas acted in many productions of the Atlanta University Summer Theater[10][11] and the Atlanta-Morehouse-Spelman Players, working with Anne Cooke Reid, Naomah Maise, Baldwin W. Burroughs, Raphael (Ray) McIver, and Owen Dodson.[5][12][13] In 1952 she costarred in WERD radio dramas, The Last in the World and Man or Brute, both by Arch Oboler.[14]

Geter was active in Atlanta's social scene,[15] and was known for her stylish wardrobe.[16] In 1953 and 1955 she was named to Ebony magazine's best-dressed lists.[17]

Publications

  • "France and the Traditions of Freedom" (1943, with Ira De Augustine Reid)[18]
  • "Humanism and the Teaching of Languages" (1957)[19]
  • "The Ungrateful Negro in France" (1961, with Shelby T. McCloy)[20]

Personal life

Geter married William Charles Thomas in 1939. Her husband died in 1951,[21] and she died in 1962, in a car accident in Maine.[17][22] Her colleague Helen Coulbourn also died in the crash.[23] Albert E. Manley, the president of Spelman College, spoke at their memorial service on campus.[24]

References

  1. ^ "Death Claims Jaxon Matron". New Pittsburgh Courier. 1947-01-18. p. 14. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Afternoon Musical Recital". Jacksonville Journal. 1920-06-18. p. 19. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "A Friend of Bette". Washington Afro American. 1945-08-18. p. 12. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Studying in Paris". New Pittsburgh Courier. 1928-05-19. p. 1. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b Peterson, Bernard L. Jr. (2000-10-30). Profiles of African American Stage Performers and Theatre People, 1816-1960. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. pp. 236–237. ISBN 978-0-313-06503-3.
  6. ^ "Outstanding Women Meet to Discuss Organization". The Chicago Defender. 1930-04-05. p. 7. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Read, Florence Matilda (1961). The story of Spelman College. Internet Archive. Atlanta. p. 308.
  8. ^ Mjagkij, Nina (2003-12-16). Organizing Black America: An Encyclopedia of African American Associations. Routledge. p. 396. ISBN 978-1-135-58122-0.
  9. ^ "Past Presidents and Presidential Addresses". College Language Association. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  10. ^ Jackson, Marion E. (1948-07-11). "Summer Theater's Version of 'Camille' is Good Drama". Atlanta Daily World. p. 8. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Cooke, Anne (November 1941). "The Atlanta University Summer Theatre". Opportunity. 19 (11): 331–332 – via Internet Archive.
  12. ^ Leslye, Joy Allen. "The birth of Queen Anne: Re-discovering Anne M. Cooke at Spelman College" In The Routledge companion to African American theatre and performance, pp. 134-139. Routledge, 2018.
  13. ^ Jackson, Marion (1951-06-22). "'The Guardsman' Opens A.U. Summer Theatre; A Happy Occasion". Atlanta Daily World. p. 3. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "WERD Theatre Drama Program". Atlanta Daily World. 1952-04-20. p. 7. Retrieved 2026-02-25.
  15. ^ "The McMillans' 'At Home' Regales Yule Visitors". The Chicago Defender. 1955-01-22. p. 18. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Hatch, James V. (1995). Sorrow Is the Only Faithful One: The Life of Owen Dodson. University of Illinois Press. p. 351. ISBN 978-0-252-06477-7.
  17. ^ a b "Spelman Prof. Mrs. Billie Thomas Dies in Crash". Jet: 4. August 30, 1962.
  18. ^ Thomas, Billie Geter; Reid, Ira De A. (1943). "France and the Traditions of Freedom". Phylon. 4: 18–23. doi:10.2307/272103. ISSN 0885-6818.
  19. ^ Thomas, Billie Geter (1957). "Humanism and the Teaching of Languages". CLA Journal. 1 (1): 3–9. ISSN 0007-8549.
  20. ^ Thomas, Billie Geter; McCloy, Shelby T. (1961). "The Ungrateful Negro in France". Phylon. 22 (3): 285. doi:10.2307/274206.
  21. ^ Rivers, Julia S. (1951-12-01). "Atlanta Roundup". The Chicago Defender. p. 4. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Billie Geter Thomas (death notice)". The Florida Times-Union. 1962-08-21. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Atlanta Educators Killed in Auto-Truck Collision". Alabama Tribune. 1962-08-17. p. 8. Retrieved 2026-02-26 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Memorial service held at Spelman". The Afro-American. 1962-10-27. p. 19. Retrieved 2026-02-25 – via Newspapers.com.
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