{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/hq3rv0fq0j/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Reggie Thomas interview and photographs, circa 1990"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/053/original/cropped-marmia-logo-copy1.png?1586173104","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Source Metadata URI"]},"value":{"en":["https://marmia.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/archival_objects/25739"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["circa 1990 (Creation)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["Be advised that this video may contain sensitive, triggering, and offensive language and content. (Content warning)","Digitized with funding provided by the Council on Library and Information Resources' \"Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives: Amplifying Unheard Voices\" grant program. (Funding note)","Reginald Thomas is interviewed about his hand dancing and jitterbugging. (Scope and Content Note)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["1 Betacam"]}},{"label":{"en":["Identifier"]},"value":{"en":["WJZ-FLDTP-006-008 (Identifier)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Series Title"]},"value":{"en":["Field Tapes"]}}],"summary":{"en":["Be advised that this video may contain sensitive, triggering, and offensive language and content.","Digitized with funding provided by the Council on Library and Information Resources' \"Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives: Amplifying Unheard Voices\" grant program.","Reginald Thomas is interviewed about his hand dancing and jitterbugging."]},"provider":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["MARMIA"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["MARMIA"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/053/original/cropped-marmia-logo-copy1.png?1586173104","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/253/905/small/thumbnail_253905_1728350962.jpg?1728350966","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - open-uri20250109-552-orngvo.mp4"]},"duration":1258.768,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/253/905/small/thumbnail_253905_1728350962.jpg?1728350966","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-marmia.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/253/905/original/open-uri20250109-552-orngvo.mp4?1736437943","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":1258.768,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["AUTO_TRINT_WJZ-FLDTP-006-008.mp4 [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"First off, you go by the name Reggie. Reggie. Yeah. I mean, my name is Reginald. Well, how do you prefer to be called Reggie? Registering for our guy. All right. Cash. Right to you. Right. I'm doing different dancers, different dance clubs. And I've done some buddy diners who've danced, and. And I get to name Reggie Thomas. Reggie Thomas. He hated this. Reggie Thomas. He's at that. Where do you ever get such a reputation? Well, no. About, I guess, 1960. I was about ten years old. And I just love to dance. I've always loved to dance and sing. Sing to, as you know. And what happened was I was introduced to hand dancing. I watched my uncle's ASU floor walk and things of that nature. And I moved on Seniors Avenue from from Howard Street. And it was across the street. Some girls clogged it up. We only had to match. Okay. So I can't do the whole thing now. Just let me know. This will start all over and just can be sure. Practicing. All right? Yeah. Okay. I could not shorten that screw up a little bit. Yeah. Everything I asked you give me. Sure. Okay. That's the easiest thing. Now, let me ask you this. I've been hearing the name Reggie Thomas as a guy who really knows how we call it jitterbug. You call it what? I call it hand dancing and jitterbug. Bobby, where'd you learn that? I learned from Claude at Cookie Consultant back in 1960. When I was about ten years old. So when you. When you were ten years old, you said your uncle taught you how to do that. Margaret taught me how to flow walk, you know, slow dance. I see him do that. But when I learned to hand dance, it came from them, from from young ladies across the street saying, give me some.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=20.0,148.7"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Some neighborhood girls. Right. Taught you how to dance. Right. When you were ten years old. That's right. About ten. 11. How old were they? They were like, well, the young with two young girls. They were my age, you know, that. You were their aunts and they were maybe six years older than me, maybe something like that. So they got a hold of you and taught you how to do that? Yes. So you been dancing then, since you were ten years old? Since I can remember. Yeah. I love to dance. And I've loved it ever since I was. I was ten, 11, 12 years old. Why don't you start singing? So the singing. I know since I've been talking, you know, I've always loved to sing. I used to feed up on the wall at night. Supposed to be asleep. I've been listening to my younger brother as, as you said, using in church. Sing in church, too? Yes. When? So when you were a youngster, ten years old, you were going around to the the neighborhood dances, I guess. Yes, we several house parties, but. And then as a kind of old ice and a dance contests, I really don't like contests. But a lot of my friends would push me into as far as music I used to. I used to also be in a couple of groups in the neighborhood singing, Yeah, I love harmony. But your friends would put you in the dance contest? Yes. How did you make out? Usually. Very well. Was always hand dancing, you know. And I learned a hand, as you know, until I was 10 or 11. But. And that wasn't a major thing. But a lot of them were handing us contests here. So you were you were you were actually too young to really dance ever to get an opportunity to dance on the show, I suppose.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=149.06,258.26"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Yes. But I used to watch anyway. Yeah. You watched those kids? Did you learn anything from them? Yeah. I mean, any time I saw anybody dancing, I would. I would remember it would stay there and I would incorporate it into what I wanted to do. That's how interested I am in dance into dancing, you know? But later on, I got on the Kirby Sketch show, which was a show he came on later after biting off the air and danced a little on that. Yes. And all of that. And I should recall, I only went one time, but it must have last about 5 or 6 years, I guess. Then then the war in Vietnam broke out and Reggie was called. Yes. I didn't think I was going. But one day I received a letter. I remember the friend of mine, he was already in. He signed up. He walked up to the door and I said, Don't worry about it. You know, I may get called out to do a big package fellow. He burst out laughing. Yeah, you are. Quote so Uncle Sam, aren't you? Yeah. Anyway, you went to Vietnam. Yes. A firefight. Right. What happened? We went in Cambodia and we landed at a place where there was really a dense, wooded area. And when we came in, we noticed all this large cable, and we could hear it every time we tried to communicate, you know, But the radios, they would press squelch and we couldn't communicate that well. But they had huts and everything set up. And this was like a communications unit, and they were Chinese. And they also we knew that, you know, but. So the firefight started. What happened? Basically, it was it was a sniper, a few snipers up in the trees.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=258.74,359.36"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"And I kind of noticed when I looked up at this, you know, I always walk like this when I notice something, a shadow. I went down. I could have gotten the back on foot. Ironically. On the foot. Well, you know, luckily, by the grace of God, I got in the foot. A dancing foot? Yes. Do you ever think you'd dance again? No, not really. You know, I mean, I was lucky enough to be alive, but really rightly, the first thing I thought about was, my God. But I mean, as I went through. So I felt the heat afterwards and I said, my God. And the guy started pulling the Buddha. And the first thing that shattered my mind was dancing. And I knew I was alive. So first thing I thought I was was dancing. Now, I guess you figured you'd never dance again. You're right. And there's just as part of me. I mean, if I can't dance, you know, if I can't dance and sing, it's just, you know. But you don't let that hold you. Hold you down. Too long, did you? No. I mean, I was it was a little bit of trauma. In fact, it was I didn't even realize until years later, you know. But I was, you know, a little fazed there, you know, But I'm I'm pretty strong, strong minded, pretty you know, I believe there's light at the end of the tunnel in any situation. And there's nothing I feel like I can do. I can't do. So, you know, for a few years I was a little bit down, but. So how long did it really take you before you with confidence got back down on the dance floor and was able to to begin to do what you now do? Well, I was I was a pretty good dancer.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=359.93,457.34"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I'm like, you know, my older now, 45 plus. But the thing is that when I was younger, I could do a lot of different things. And when I first started back dancing, I couldn't do those things. I still can't now. I'm still kind of limited, but I've gotten used to feeling certain things in my feet, you know? So it took a few years, but I used to dance on stage and things of that nature, you know. But eventually I did what I could and I try to do the best I could. I love dance is like I get a high dance. You know, some people don't, but I do. You know, now the rumor is winning from all over. Come. Just to dance with Reggie Thomas. Okay, well, that's something that some people said. I mean, you know. It's been quoted in people. I mean, I know from from being, you know, dancing that if someone sees me dance, you know, especially hand dance or jitterbug, if a young lady because I always asked, can you hand dance? I mean, I do everything, but I usually ask nobody, can you have this? And they say, Yeah, I'm going to hand dance first. And if she she knows, is it usually she'll tell a girlfriend, hey, has a guy that especially when I dance at Haven, there's not a haven named Reg. Also a guy named Reggie that loves a hand. Ask. Well, what if you want a hand dance? He'll dance. And he has everybody. I mean, you know, and at 1.10 miles on the guy, they're dancing. So I get a good workout. So the answer is that women do come from all over. Yeah, That's with you. Yeah. I'm not being facetious in saying that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=458.03,545.48"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Braggadocious, if you will. But, you know, I mean, it is true. Now there are more guys there dance and which is good. I love that cause I love I love to watch it. Also when you're out on the floor and you're good, I mean, you get you got a good night like the other night and your partner is clicking right along with you like the other night. But I think both and gals were thinking along with you and really what goes through your mind? I get into a zone and I just feel like, you know, hey, this is this is way it's I mean, this is this is it. This is it. I mean, you know, it's like I'm in a zone. I really don't even realize people around me. I mean, you know, I just I feel so good. Hopefully, they enjoy it, you know, enjoy what they see, too, But you just feel so that is indescribable. You know, I can't describe it. Sort of like, forget your troubles. Come on, get happy. Yeah. Dance all you blues away stress. I mean, it's a great stress relief for me when I get off from work. I got about a couple hours, maybe two hours. So I sort of, you know, I can work out, too. But if I dance, I get more out of I get the exercise and you release all that stress and it's gone. So after a hard evening's work, instead of going on go to bed, you go out and dance, enjoy it. Make sure I go to sleep. I good bit. And that relaxes you. Yeah. Takes you troubles away. That's right. But it's like that song. Forget your troubles. Come on, get happy, Joy. Dance all your cares away.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=546.02,640.55"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Yeah. So what's next? I'm still, you know, I've been singing all my life. I sang before dance. But I've still got some. I got some original songs that I've written, and I'm still pursuing the same career. But right now I have to get, you know, my you know, I work a job and that's that comes first. But I still have music on on the back burner. Well, listen, you know, they have all these these Hollywood movies are being made around Baltimore. And if if one of those producers needs a needle your hand hand dancer. What they they come to see you ready to Thomas. Come to see Reggie Thomas. I do it for free. Yeah, but you could handle that, could you? Yeah. I can handle it. Hey, Lights, camera, Action. Let's go. Reggie, do it. Let's go get you something. True? That's right. That's right. I mean, normally the players I dance with, people think we practice, but those just ladies who frequent the club and they, you know, they come over, they know, hey, I'm going to be there. So they feel like dance. No, come to Haven and wait till I get off and, you know, get a couple of hand dancers. But ladies that were at the club the other night, they're two of the better the best dancers. And the second lady really didn't get a chance to to really do what she really knows with both. I'm a very excellent dancer. The first girl you dance with, what's her name? Her name is Yvonne. Yvonne Stewart. Yeah. And she's she's a she. A dancer or a professional or what? She. She told me that she had, you know, danced a little bit professionally, you know, if you will, you know, with with she had, like, dance teams and now she's, she's pretty good.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=641.78,745.53"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"She'll do it. And the second lady said the same thing. I mean, she could be a professional dancer. You know, there's nothing. Both of them. There's nothing that I mean, to dance, you have to be a good leader to and they have to feel what you're doing and you have to have respect for them. And they they have to follow you. Some some guys don't realize it. You just go ahead and do what you want and, you know, but they follow you very well. But if you were a good leader, they do it. I mean, it's nothing. If I move one way, they go right with, you know, and that's good. So I give I give respect to Lace. Well, you keep them hopping and they keep you bop. That's right. And you go and you go. I love every minute of it. So one more time, if any of the if any of those those movie producers happiness is peace this morning and they later they need a dancer in one of their little episodes. What should they do? Call Reggie Thomas, pick up the phone. Call Reggie Thomas. You can handle it. That's right. You can be that. You could be the 1990. Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire. Hey. Well, I watched those guys a lot. I watched those guys a lot. And those were the those are the masters. Those are some of the masters. Well, what they have and what you have, I would think is one word and it's called stop. I would say that. Reggie Thomas has style. That's true. That's right. Now you are a about a native of Baltimore. Yeah, born where I was, but I was I grew up on Howard Street when I was seven. So.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=745.77,847.38"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Right. You were born right downtown. Born and raised right downtown. So I was seven. Then I moved to Gilford Avenue, moved around a little bit by the move to Guilford Avenue, and then from there, St James Avenue. And that's where I met the ladies. And where you work now, where the U.S. Postal Service. Are you outside? I'm a manager here at inside a main building. So did you start off as a carrier? No. It was like some club. That's Queen King and Milton Junior? Yes. Okay. And now you are the managing automation. So you worked you out? Yeah. I mean that you. You've been promoted and promoted. I went back to school, got a few credits. You know, I went back for basically music. I got a few credits. But, you know, as stated in the article, I dropped out of high school in the 12th grade math class before graduation, and there was, you know, things about that. My wife, my ex-wife, and well, we were going to and then all that stuff. But you did you. I thought I had to drop out and get a job at the time. I needed a job real quick. But you went to work for the post office. You work your way up. Right. And now you are a I'm supervisor of Mail's mail. Mail processing automation. And your shift is 3 to 11 during the week? Yeah. Three to get off 11:00 after our day's work. 11 1115 Depending on what's going on, I might say a little later sometimes. And after a hard day's work or managing the mail, you hit the dance floor. And sometimes you need it for 1 or 2 hours. That tops two hours. Some people go to the gym.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=847.59,944.49"},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Let's say you hit the dance floor. That's right. That's place for me is the New Haven. Is that the only place you dance? Normally. That's where I go. That's the that's the place for you right now because. Right. You know, I was right in the area where I live. On the way home. It's written in letters and that sort of thing. Rock song. It was a mixture. Controversy. New play. Johnny Cash Supreme. Aretha Franklin. You know, think I said Bob Dylan was seven years named. And so the. I can't think of his name. I want to see the picture. Jesse. Could you take kind of a mixture of it? He was he was killed first. His name was Jose. Shortly after that, they were both hit. Jose was killed. He was hit? Yeah. Reggie was born and raised right in the heart of Baltimore. On our street 100 block, our 2120 first year about. But first. And yet the Firestone Firestone needs to be out in 21st. His uncle Eugene. How did he die? He died of cancer two years ago. As most as, you know, our strengths go. Along with all the other accommodations, citations and camping ribbons. He received a Bronze Star. This show, 25th Infantry Division. That's form to 14 to 14. All right. Let's try it. Go ahead. Okay. Take it. Take it back. You have time. And this time, try to stick it right under your thumb so you can move your finger. You know, move that hand. All right, Stand by. Go ahead. I'm going to. Okay. You're all sloppy around. Let's try it again. Motion exploded as possible. It was better because I wrote it down and set it right there. Now go ahead. Go ahead. Look.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905#t=945.36,1255.35"}]},{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["English [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://marmia.aviaryplatform.com/collections/948/collection_resources/136893/file/253905/transcript/71646/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"subtitling","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/file_transcripts/associated_files/000/071/646/original/trint_WJZ-FLDTP-006-008_transcript.vtt?1728353069","format":"text/vtt","language":"en"},"target":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/file_transcripts/associated_files/000/071/646/original/trint_WJZ-FLDTP-006-008_transcript.vtt?1728353069"}]}]}]}