Began his teaching career in Rosenberg, TX in 1960. Employed in DISD (1965 - 1985) as high school teacher/coach, Middle School Assistant Principal, Middle School Principal, and High School Associate Principal. Elected President of PVA&M Panther Club. Served as Deacon and Chair, Trustee Board, Friendship West Baptist Church.

Served as a member of the DeSoto ISD Board for twelve years, six years as President and two years as Board Secretary. For two of those years, she was the only African American and female member. Under her leadership, the largest bond program passed by the school or city ($116 million) enabled the District to charter the DeSoto ISD Education Foundation, and established High School, College and Career Academies.

His life embodied a life of public service through ministry, education, scholarship and civic leadership. Served as Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church for twenty-seven years, taught at Bishop College and retired from DISD in 1998 after working in various administrative positions. Served as President of the Dallas NAACP and worked with other courageous men and women to desegregate Dallas in the late 50s, 60s and 70s.

Served the Dallas community as music educator, choir director and church musician at Greater Bethlehem Baptist Church and Bethany Baptist Church for more than fifty years. She taught all levels of music in DISD for thirty-four years. Her choirs at South Oak Cliff H.S. consistently earned excellent and superior ratings in local and UIL competitions. Became Coordinator of Fine Arts and Choir Director at Paul Quinn College and is Musical Director of the South Dallas Concert Choir.

Recognized as a professional educator with thirty-nine years of teaching experience in grades 1 through 8 in DISD. She was one of six teachers to implement the Talented and Gifted Program in EOC Sub-District, Teacher for Networks for Success Homework Hotline and Grant Manager for Texas After School Initiative for Middle Schools. Served as an Adjunct Professor, Division of Education, Paul Quinn College.

Prior to coming to Dallas ISD, he taught in Athens, TX and Richardson, TX following his World War II Tour of Duty. Began his career in DISD as a math teacher at Paul L. Dunbar. Taught at John Henry Brown and Pearl C. Anderson. Became first African American Principal of Harry Stone (1972) as well as the first Principal of the new Maynard Jackson Magnet School - A One-of-A-Kind national model for Magnet School Programs.

Assumed duty with the DISD, September 1960 as a PMS/SAI for the NDCC/JROTC Program at B. T. Washington Technical High School as Director of Army Instruction (DAI) for the Dallas ISD JROTC. Served as Chief Administrator and Manager for JROTC units in 25 high schools (more than 4000 students and an instructor staff of 90+ Military instructors, officers and NCO's). Oversaw 20 middle school Leadership Cadet Corps (LCC). Served more than 48 years.

Became the fourth Pastor of Golden Gate Baptist Church and retired after 44 years of productive accomplishments in urban ministry. Among his most notable was the establishment of Joseph Lockridge Legal Scholarship Foundation, Annual Simpson Memorial Scholarship, Adult Rehabilitation Ministry (residential alcohol and drug treatment program, serving more than 2000 men and women since 1989). Volunteered and provided leadership in helping to ensure that DISD students would have a world class High School in Oak Cliff, Yvonne A. Ewell Townview High School.

Began his career in DISD as teacher at G. W. Carver in 1958, teacher at H. S. Thompson, head football coach and athletic director at Lincoln H.S., Pearl C. Anderson, James Madison H.S. and F. D. Roosevelt. H.S. Served as assistant athletic director of the DISD Athletic Department. In 1992, he was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Athletics and retired in 2000. The football field at P.C. Cobb Athletic Complex was named Robert Thomas Athletic Field in his honor in 2005.

Began his career in the DISD as a teacher of French at James Madison High School. Served as Principal of William B. Miller Elementary, W. W. Bushman, and Clinton P. Russell for a total of thirty-five years in DISD. Following his retirement, he became an Associate Professor, Collin County Community College, Bishop College, and Southwest Christian College in Terrell. He served as Boy Scout Troup Master for more than 40 years and is Chair of the Trustee Board, St. Paul AME Church, and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Dallas Post Tribune.