Thomas was raised in a rural community in northern California; his father was a sheep-shearer and farmer.
He supported himself through college in a variety of jobs, including milking cows and driving a school bus.
While at the University of California at Berkeley, Thomas was introduced to the political philosophy of socialism and considered himself a Trotskyist for the rest of his life.
He taught in Ghana following his university studies for some years before returning to the United States to further pursue his academic career.
Thomas died New Year's Day 2008 after battling multiple myeloma.