Dale Thomas, an alumnus of Florida A&M University (FAMU), has self-published a 236-page pictorial book titled Bands on “The Hill”: A Pictorial History of Bands at Florida A&M University, which chronicles the history of FAMU’s band and instrumental music programs, highlighting significant events, directors, and students.
As reported by the Tallahassee Democrat, Thomas released the book in October 2023 to commemorate the band program’s 130th anniversary, a project he said took nearly ten years to complete.
“I’m somewhat of a history enthusiast, particularly when it comes to African American history, music, and band history,” Thomas shared with the outlet.
He acknowledged the challenge of condensing 130 years of history, noting how difficult it was to cover the entirety of the program’s legacy.
Currently serving as an academic advisor at Tallahassee State College, Thomas holds a degree in music education from FAMU, along with master’s degrees in educational administration and leadership, and library and information studies from Florida State University.
He explained, “While working as a librarian at FAMU, particularly in the African American history section, I had access to numerous historical documents from the Black Archives,” which sparked his research into FAMU’s band and music programs.
In 1996, he compiled and edited America’s Band of Legend: A Pictorial Collection on Bands at Florida A&M University 1892-1996. This fall, he plans to release another pictorial book, A Band in Every School: Portraits of Historically Black School Bands in Florida.
Bands on “The Hill”: A Pictorial History of Bands at Florida A&M University is available through Thomas’ Harmonie Publications.
