Dessie Randall Thomas

Sunday school teacher and her pupils.

Embry stewardess board. they helped to run church. The church also had a group called communion stewardess board. Their function was to prepare for and assist in the communion service.

A 1960 photograph of members of the Senior Usher Board of Embry AME Church. The ushers acted as official greeters and doorkeepers for church services.

Embry senior usher board 1962

Rear left to right James Edwards II, Rev. Baddy, James Clemons, center William Gray, Mr. Hart, George Henry Gross front Thomas Randall, unknown. George Brooks Sr, Dessie Thomas, Arthur Brooks item 04307 shows this same group

Rev. Dessie Carter, Spencer Briscoe, Betty Greene, Dessie Thomas, Shirley Anderson, jean Matthews, Lester Gray, Thomas Randall, Janet Gillians, Bubby Brown, Florence Lee, Vera Matthews, Fanny Douglas, James. Clemens

Embry AME Church on a Sunday

Dessie Randall Thomas- Department of the Army Award

At home of George Henry and Agnes Gross on Cloud Avenue. Guests shown are Dessie Randall Thomas, unknown and unknown

Rev. Dessie L. Carter (far left), pastor of Embry A. M. E. Church, is shown here with members of the Embry Senior Choir. Pictured from left to right are (first row) Spencer Briscoe, Betty Thomas Green, Dessie Randall Thomas, Shirley Randall Anderson, Jean Gray Matthews, Lester Gray, and Thomas Randall; (second row) Janet Randall Gillens, Franklin Brown Jr., Florence Wethers Lee, Vera Johnson Matthews, Fannie Mae Randolph Douglas, and James Clemons.

Dessie Randall, James Edwards, Jr., and George Arnold are pictured here with other members of the 1933 graduating class of Bowie Normal School. Randall was one of the first Lakelanders to seek a post-secondary education. She was a member of the first graduating class of Lakeland High School in 1931. Edwards later moved to Lakeland and raised his family in the community. Arnold taught at Lakeland High School and died in a car accident after attending a picnic at Carr’s Beach with friends from Lakeland.

Usher Day Macedonia A.M.E. Church preached by Rev Britton.

In 1956, Rev. Preston Britton and members of Embry AME Church were the Annual Ushers Day guests of Macedonia United Methodist Church in Odenton, MD. Britton gave the sermon, and Embry's Youth choir performed under the direction of Dessie Randall Thomas.

George Randall, Ellen Hunter Randall, and their three eldest children--Lucy, Dessie, and Victor, left to right--in about 1913.

Images of James Claiborne and his family at College Park City Hall, Council Chambers upon recognition of his retirement

Dessie Randall Thomas and friend attend a parade in downtown Washington DC

Dessie Randall Thomas

Embry A.M.E. Church’s Junior Choir is shown here circa 1965 with their pastor, Rev. Robert H. Baddy. The group served under the direction of Dessie Randall Thomas and was accompanied by Janet Randall on the piano. A member of the group recalls, “The recollection of those old hymns I learned as a child has helped me through many difficult times. Their lyrics have been a continual reminder of God’s love and promises.”

Dessie Randall Thomas served as the Sunday School superintendent of Embry AME Church for 32 years. Through her dedicated teaching and fine example, she guided the religious education of generations of Lakeland's youth. She's pictured here in September 1962, with Sunday school students and staff at the time. She is third from right in the center row. Rev Robert H. Baddy is in the back row, on the far left.

Sick visit, Agnes Gross, unknown, Pauline Gray, Dessie Randall Thomas

For generations Mrs. Dessie Randall Thomas "Miss Dessie" taught children in the Sunday School of Embry AME Church. She is here with a class. This was a typical scene during the 1940s to 1970s