DANIEL THOMAS III

Dr. Daniel J. Thomas III is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture at Texas A&M University's College of Education. His research focuses on anti-Black historical discourse and the experiences of Black men/boys in secondary education, particularly within private Catholic institutions and the roles of Black male teacher-coaches as liberatory figures. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin (2021), M.A. from Johns Hopkins (2014), and B.A. from University of Maryland (2011).

His work critically examines anti-Blackness in educational systems, the intersection of sports and pedagogy, and the sociocultural embodiment of Black educators. Key themes include Black counterpublics, civic education through sports films, and recentering Black perspectives in curricula. His research has been published in leading journals like Peabody Journal of Education and Urban Education.

Recent publications explore topics ranging from Black male teacher recruitment discourse to the paradoxes of Black fatherhood metaphors in education. His 2025 work critiques DEI frameworks through a Black liberation lens, while 2024 studies analyze racial phobias in private schools and the hypervisibility paradox affecting Black men/boys.

No scientific awards are explicitly listed, but his scholarship demonstrates significant contributions to critical race studies in education. His work often intersects with legal activism, grow-your-own teacher initiatives, and institutional reform strategies.