Date of Award

1-1-2016

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of History

Content Description

1 online resource (vii, 281 pages)

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Gerald Zahavi

Committee Members

Richard F Hamm, Carl Bon Tempo, Jeannine Chandler

Keywords

Radio broadcasters

Subject Categories

History

Abstract

This dissertation examines Lowell Thomas’s 1949 trip to Tibet, its political implications, what Thomas did to raise awareness for Tibet in the US, and how he helped Tibetans over the last few decades of his life. Lowell Jackson Thomas (1892-1981) became a household name as a newsman, writer, lecturer, explorer, and entrepreneur. His passion for exploration and public speaking led him to crisscross the globe in search of his next big story. One of Thomas’s goals as an explorer was to visit Tibet. After decades of attempting to reach the mecca of travelers, he spent several weeks traveling to Lhasa with his son, Lowell Thomas, Jr., during the summer of 1949, on the eve of its invasion by communist China. Thomas and his son initially traveled to Tibet only to gather material for a new travelogue, but they became entangled in a relationship with the Tibetan people that would last for the rest of their lives.

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