Clayborne Carson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clayborne Carson
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Carson in 2017
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| Born | June 15, 1944 Buffalo, New York, U.S.
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| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BA, MA, PhD) |
| Era | 20th century |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Ann Carson |
| Children | 2 |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Stanford University |
Clayborne Carson (born June 15, 1944) is an American historian. He was a professor of history at Stanford University. He also directed the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute. Since 1985, he has led a major project. This project collects and publishes all the writings of Martin Luther King Jr..
Growing Up and School Years
Clayborne Carson was born on June 15, 1944, in Buffalo, New York. He grew up near Los Alamos, New Mexico. His family was one of the few African-American families there. He says this experience made him interested in the Civil Rights Movement. He wanted to learn more about the Black community.
After high school in 1962, Carson went to the University of New Mexico. When he was 19, he met Stokely Carmichael at a student meeting. Carmichael asked him to join the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This march happened on August 28, 1963. Carson was amazed to be among so many people. It was his first big step in helping the Civil Rights Movement.
Carson remembers the March well. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech there. But Carson says he mostly remembers the people he met. This was also the only time Carson heard Dr. King speak in public.
In 1964, Carson moved to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He became more active in the movement there. He changed his studies from computer programming to American History. He earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees from UCLA. His doctorate paper was about Stokely Carmichael and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). While at UCLA, he also joined protests against the Vietnam War.
A Career in History
Carson taught at Stanford University for over 40 years. He taught U.S. History and African American History. He gave lectures about Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, SNCC, and the Black Panther Party. These topics were all about the Black struggle for civil rights. He often appeared on radio and TV shows.
Carson has written many books and articles about the Civil Rights Movement. He has also helped with documentaries and interviews. His first book, In Struggle: SNCC and the Black Awakening of the 1960s, won an award in 1982. He was also an adviser for the film Freedom on My Mind. This film was nominated for an Oscar in 1995.
In 1985, Coretta Scott King asked Carson to lead a project. The goal was to publish Dr. King's writings that had not been published yet. Carson first said no because he saw himself as a SNCC person, not a King expert. But he later agreed to oversee the project. He said he would only do it if Dr. King's family did not control the writings. Carson and his team worked for over 20 years on this important project.
Carson retired from Stanford University in 2020. In 2021, President Joe Biden nominated him for a new board. This board helps review old civil rights cases.
Personal Life
Clayborne Carson married Susan Ann Beyer in 1967. She was a librarian and later helped manage the King Papers Project. They live in Palo Alto, California. They have a daughter and a son.
Awards and Recognitions
- Andrew Mellon Fellowship (1977)
- Fredrick Jackson Turner Award for his book In Struggle: SNCC and the Black Awakening of the 1960s (1982)
- Elected member of the Society of American Historians (1991)
- Honorary Doctorate from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (1995)
- Winning team member for the design of the National Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington D.C. (2000)
- Gandhi King Ikeda Award from Morehouse College (2004)
- Honorary Doctorate from Morehouse College (2007)
- Honorary Doctorate from Niagara University (2008)
- Honorary Doctorate from Westminster College (2015)
