American Institute for Managing Diversity (AIMD) was a diversity-management organization focused on research, education, and advocacy. It was founded in 1984 by cultural diversity activist R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. It was considered the first national nonprofit founded for the study of diversity. ¹ It was identified as a program in the Clinton administration’s One America initiative. ²

American Institute for Managing Diversity appears no longer active as of 2023. Its final tax return was for calendar year 2011. ³ Founder R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. passed away in May 2013. ⁴

Background

American Institute for Managing Diversity (AIMD) was a diversity-management advocacy and research organization founded in 1984 by cultural diversity activist R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. ⁵ It was the first national nonprofit founded for the study of diversity ⁶ and researched approaches to achieving organizational diversity such as affirmative action. ⁷ AIMD’s initial focus was workforce diversity. It later created an expanded diversity framework for organizations to use that covered a broader set of management practices. ⁸

American Institute for Managing Diversity was identified as a program in the Clinton administration’s One America initiative ⁹ which was created to “close the opportunity gaps that exist for minorities and the underserved in this country.” ¹⁰

AIMD offered a Diversity Leadership Academy program which was described as AIMD’s “flagship educational program” in a 2011 article in Diversity Journal. ¹¹

As of 2023, AIMD no longer appears active. The last tax return filed by American Institute for Managing Diversity was for 2011. ¹²

Financials

American Institute for Managing Diversity’s final tax return for calendar year 2011 showed $308,575 in revenues and $283,673 in expenses. Net assets for 2011 were reported as -$109,311. ¹³

Leadership

Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. founded American Institute for Managing Diversity in 1984 and worked as its president. He graduated from Harvard University with a DBA in Organizational Behavior. He was a “cultural diversity pioneer” for over 30 years, consulting for large companies, government organizations, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations. He wrote and published several books and articles on diversity. ¹⁴ In 1991 he co-founded the Diversity Collegium as an informal think tank with a goal of making progress on the field of diversity research and management. ¹⁵ In 1996 he started Roosevelt Thomas Consulting & Training to provide diversity management consulting services to businesses. ¹⁶

AIMD’s 2011 tax return listed Thomas as AIMD’s trustee emeritus. ¹⁷ He passed away in May 2013 at the age of 69. ¹⁸

AIMD’s 2011 tax return showed Pamela Arnold as president. ¹⁹

A previous president of American Institute for Managing Diversity was Sharon Parker, retired assistant chancellor for Equity and Diversity at University of Washington Tacoma. Parker had several positions in her career associated with diversity management, including executive director of National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, founder and CEO of National Institute for Women of Color, and visiting scholar and co-principal investigator of the Campus Diversity Initiatives Evaluation Project funded by Irvine Foundation. ²⁰

John Latham was AIMD’s board chair as of its 2011 tax return. ²¹ Latham is a trial lawyer with Alston & Bird, a special assistant attorney general for the State of Georgia Teachers and Employees Retirement Fund and Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services, ²² and a member of the board of trustees for Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. ²³

1. “American Institute for Managing Diversity.” Rollins School of Public Health – 2000 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Awards. Accessed November 19, 2023. http://web1.sph.emory.edu/AWARDS/2000/aimd.html
2. “One America – American Institute of Managing Diversity.” The White House – Clinton White House archives. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://clintonwhitehouse4.archives.gov/Initiatives/OneAmerica/Practices/pp_19980804.3881.html
3. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Search for EIN 58-1600953. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?q=58-1600953
4. “Tribute to Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., a Pioneer and National Diversity Expert.” IM Diversity. 2013. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://imdiversity.com/diversity-news/tribute-dr-r-roosevelt-thomas-jr-pioneer-national-diversity-expert-2/
5. “American Institute for Managing Diversity.” GBH. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.wgbh.org/forum-network/partners/american-institute-for-managing-diversity
6. “American Institute for Managing Diversity.” Rollins School of Public Health – 2000 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Awards. Accessed November 19, 2023. http://web1.sph.emory.edu/AWARDS/2000/aimd.html
7. “One America – American Institute of Managing Diversity.” The White House – Clinton White House archives. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://clintonwhitehouse4.archives.gov/Initiatives/OneAmerica/Practices/pp_19980804.3881.html
8. “Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.” Diversity Officer Magazine. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://diversityofficermagazine.com/leadership/roosevelt-thomas-jr/
9. “One America – American Institute of Managing Diversity.” The White House – Clinton White House archives. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://clintonwhitehouse4.archives.gov/Initiatives/OneAmerica/Practices/pp_19980804.3881.html
10. “The Clinton-Gore Administration – A Record of Progress.” The White House. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://clintonwhitehouse5.archives.gov/WH/Accomplishments/eightyears-11.html
11. Pamela Arnold. “The Role of Diversity Management in the Global Talent Retention Race.” Diversity Journal. May 27, 2011. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://diversityjournal.com/4530-the-role-of-diversity-management-in-the-global-talent-retention-race/
12.  ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Search for EIN 58-1600953. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?q=58-1600953
13. American Institute for Managing Diversity. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part VII). 2011.
14. “Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.” Diversity Officer Magazine. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://diversityofficermagazine.com/leadership/roosevelt-thomas-jr/
15. “The Diversity Collegium History.” The Diversity Collegium – About Us – History. Accessed November 19, 2023. http://diversitycollegium.org/history.php
16. “Roosevelt Thomas Consulting & Training Inc.” Bloomberg profile. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0082203D:US#xj4y7vzkg
17. American Institute for Managing Diversity. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part VII). 2011.
18. “Tribute to Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., a Pioneer and National Diversity Expert.” IM Diversity. 2013. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://imdiversity.com/diversity-news/tribute-dr-r-roosevelt-thomas-jr-pioneer-national-diversity-expert-2/
19. American Institute for Managing Diversity. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part VII). 2011.
20. LinkedIn – Sharon Parker. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-parker-855a2385/
21. American Institute for Managing Diversity. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part VII). 2011.
22. “John L. Latham. Alston & Bird – Professionals. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.alston.com/en/professionals/l/latham-john-l
23. “John L. Latham 79L” Emory University Office of the Vice President and Secretary – Board of Trustees. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://secretary.emory.edu/board-of-trustees/current-members/latham-john.html