Students and faculty gathered Thursday, Sept. 10 as Dr. Joy Gleason Carew, granddaughter of Winston-Salem State’s founder Simon Green Atkins, spoke in the K.R. Williams Auditorium. The topic was “The Audacity to Challenge the Fates: Blacks Who Left the US for the USSR in Search of a Better Life.”
A prolific scholar and author, Carew did not follow the traditional lecture format.
“Dr. Carew offered us stories from the lives of numerous individuals who went to the USSR, and that brought to life the historical events that took place decades ago,” said Dr. Joti Sekhon, the director of International Programs.
In the presentation, Carew explained that Blacks traveled to the Soviet Union in search of opportunity.
“They wanted to climb the social ladder,” Carew said.
“Black sojourners occupied a special place in the politics of race in the USSR People were taking dramatic chances. They were part of an international dialogue into the Soviet Union.”
Carew used photographs at the end of her presentation to explain topics presented during the lecture. The photographs showed Oliver Golden, Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, Homer Smith and other African-Americans who traveled to the Soviet Union. These notable Blacks went to the Soviet Union to “find good jobs, put their skills to work and provide security for their families,” Carew said.
There were also scholarship opportunities and advances in education.
One student described the impact of Carew’s message.
“I can tell that Dr. Carew put a lot of time into her research,” said Jarrell Jackson, sophomore, Computer Science major.
“I am glad that she is using her knowledge and research to promote African American culture through her presentations, books, and lectures. This presentation opened my eyes to another side of black history,” he said.
The director of OIP also recognized the importance of Carew’s message.
“Too often, historical events are buried away, and we forget about our own heritage and history, or know it only in very abstract and general ways,” Sekhon said.
“So it is very important that through Dr. Carew’s work, we are able to see the experiences in the lives of Blacks and learn about events that few know about. She [Carew] made Black history come alive.”
Carew related her lecture to college students today.
“We are all participants in society,” Carew said.
“You are making history. In a few years people will read about what you’re doing.”
Carew has several other connections to WSSU. She and her family donated funds for international education in the late 90’s, and she also served on the OIP Advisory Board.
Carew is also one of the founders of the Atkins, Gleason, and Carew fund which provides scholarships for international education.
“My family traveled all the time when I was growing up,” Carew said.
“I see the personal value in studying abroad. My family [because of these experiences] decided to give a sizeable contribution in order to help build the international program at WSSU.”
Edited by Tiffany Gibson