Kenn Thomas

Overview

Kenn Thomas (June 12, 1958 – September 22, 2023) was an American conspiracy researcher, parapolitical archivist, and founder of Steamshovel Press, a magazine and cyberpresence dedicated to investigating conspiracies across multiple domains. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Thomas worked as a university library archivist before dedicating himself full-time to research and publication.

Major Work: The Crisman Conspiracy

Thomas's signature contribution to UFO history centers on Fred Crisman, a witness to the Maury Island incident in 1947. In his book Maury Island UFO: The Crisman Conspiracy (1999), Thomas argued that Crisman—who witnessed UFO activity over Puget Sound and reported falling "slag" burning a boy's arm—later became involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This theory was partially inspired by the fact that Jim Garrison, the district attorney investigating JFK's death, subpoenaed Crisman in 1968, suspecting him of being the infamous "grassy knoll shooter."

Thomas expanded this thesis in JFK & UFO: Military-Industrial Conspiracy and Cover-Up from Maury Island to Dallas (2011), arguing that UFO sightings and political assassinations are connected phenomena rooted in military-industrial power structures attempting to conceal advanced technology and maintain control.

Parapolitics Framework

Thomas coined the term "parapolitics" to describe his research methodology—the systematic study of conspiracies across all domains: alien abductions, Illuminati, the JFK assassination, 9/11, and related phenomena. He believed these apparently disparate areas share common roots in institutional secrecy and cover-up. This approach was unconventional at the time and earned recognition from The New Yorker, which called his work "on the cutting edge" of conspiracy research.

Publishing Legacy

Beyond the Crisman work, Thomas authored over a dozen books:

• The Octopus: Secret Government and the Death of Danny Casolaro (co-authored with Jim Keith), investigating the Inslaw affair
• NASA, Nazis & JFK — exploring Cold War aerospace and political intrigue
• Parapolitics: Conspiracy in Contemporary America (2006) — a foundational text on the discipline
• Popular Parapolitics: Pop Culture Conspiracies — extending parapolitics to entertainment and media
• Trumpocalypse Now!: The Triumph of the Conspiracy Spectacle (2017)

Steamshovel Press itself became a key archive for parapolitical research, maintaining networks among UFO researchers, political historians, and alternative media figures.

Legacy

Thomas passed away on September 22, 2023, leaving behind a significant body of published research that bridges UFO history, political assassination, and conspiracy theory. His work remains referenced in both mainstream and fringe UFO communities, particularly regarding the Maury Island incident and its historical significance.