On October 20, 2026, the DC Council held a legislative meeting where they considered Alma W. Thomas as the name for the New Middle School on Euclid St. The First Reading for Bill 26-12 received unanimous approval. So, who is Alma Thomas?

Alma Woodsey Thomas was born on September 22, 1891, in Columbus, Georgia. In 1907, she relocated to Washington, D.C. Thomas later attended Howard University, where she graduated from the university’s first Fine Arts program in 1924.

Following her graduation, Thomas dedicated thirty-five years to education as a teacher at Shaw Junior High School in Washington, DC. Alongside her teaching career, she developed her artistic practice, working in a variety of mediums including marionettes, watercolors, and acrylics. Her work was driven by a passion for color, nature, and joy.

At the age of 81, Thomas became the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. Her signature nonobjective style later gained further recognition when her painting Resurrection was displayed in the White House in 2014.

Alma Thomas died on February 24, 1978, leaving a legacy as a nationally recognized abstract artist and a devoted community figure who dedicated her life to teaching and inspiring Washington, DC, youth.

The Final Reading for Bill 26-12 will be voted on November 10,2026. You can subscribe to legislation via email on the DC Council webpage here. There is still the need for mayoral review before the bill can become a law. However, this initial vote is a step towards naming the New Middle School on Euclid St.