Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage device for managing message threads. An example system configured to practice this method can first identify a usage pattern of a user interacting with a message thread. Next, based on that usage pattern, the system can analyze messages in the message thread to identify a high-priority message. Then the system highlights the high-priority message when the system renders the message thread on a display. The messages can be email messages, text messages, instant messages, etc. The system can further associate the high-priority message with a repository, and grant a repository user, access to the high-priority message.