ECU History: Helen Keller, Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Coretta Scott King Campus Visits
In recognition of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting four well-known women who visited East Carolina during the 20th century. Helen Keller, Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Coretta Scott King all hosted speaking events on campus, records of which can be found in Joyner Library’s Special Collections. To learn more about their visits to ECU, please keep reading and/or check out the magnet wall display on the 1st floor of Joyner Library (on display through March 2025)!
Helen Keller
In 1916, Helen Keller lectured at East Carolina Teachers Training School (ECTTS), becoming the first “internationally renowned speaker” to visit the campus (Tucker, 2017). This visit was part of her North Carolina speaking tour, which included additional stops in Asheville, Charlotte, and Raleigh.
During her lecture, Keller spoke about “Happiness”, remarking that “the secret to happiness is to do for others” (Keller, 1916). Additionally, in response to questions from the audience, Keller spoke about her thoughts on war. When asked, “How do you stand on the subject of ‘Preparedness’?”, she stated, “Dead against it…because it ultimately means war. But I would be for it if only Kaisers, kings and Congressmen were to do the fighting.” (Keller, 1916). Subsequently, when asked, “You do believe in some kind of ‘preparedness,’ do you not?” she answered, “Yes; the preparedness that promotes intelligence and efficiency; that includes good roads, schools, clean cities, and better wages for working men.” (Keller, 1916).
According to ECTTS student Nelle White when writing about the event, “Every one took away in his heart the sweet message that Miss Keller gave them; each felt as if he had witnessed a miracle.” (White, 1916).
The Teco Echo, January 14, 1936. “Amelia Earhart to Lecture Here Tomorrow Night.” https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/38034
Amelia Earhart
Roughly 20 years after Helen Keller’s visit, Amelia Earhart lectured at East Carolina Teachers College (ECTC) on January 15th, 1936. Ahead of Earhart’s visit, The Teco Echo published an article announcing the event, where they referred to her as “America’s foremost aviatrix and professor of more ‘firsts’ than probably any other woman of this country.” (“Amelia Earhart”, 1936).
Highlighting her experience of Amelia Earhart’s visit, Lucy Stuart Parrish Murphy, ECTC class of 1937, shared the following memory:
“Yes I was there. Yes, I remember! As a class assignment, I was to stand at the head of the line and present Miss Earhart to those who came to hear her tell of her “Aviation Adventures.” I was quaking in my shoes to say the least. I knew only via a note given me ahead of time saying only that she would be wearing a brown taffeta formal which she had designed and made herself – (yuck, I thought). We’d have a boring evening. When I met her she was vivacious, charming, poised and beautiful!
She wore her evening gown, with grace and assurance! I was awestruck that she not only knew how to make a plane fly but she could also make a sewing machine fly, and very successfully!
She did not boast her ‘Me Firsts,’ though she made many, but talked about the joy of lying, of piloting her own plane, of her devotion to her husband, of her joy of life and the possibility of service to all Mankind, offering that as a challenge to her audience. She was well-received and was unforgettable.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
In 1941, residents from across Eastern North Carolina flocked to campus for a special visit from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Admirers of Roosevelt commented on her “personal charm” and “sharp sense of humor” and were excited for her lecture, titled “A Typical Day at the White House” (“Mrs. Roosevelt”, 1941).
The Ebony Herald, January 1983. “Mrs. King Comes to ECU.” https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/56995
According to a newspaper article from The Teco Echo, published a few days before her arrival, Roosevelt was to be hosted by ECTC President L. R. Meadows during her time in Greenville. She was expected to visit the local National Youth Administration center and grant interviews to representatives from the “college, high school, and local publications” (“Mrs. Roosevelt, 1941). ECTC students had the chance to submit their questions directly to the Teco Echo office.
Coretta Scott King
In 1983, Hendrix Theatre at the Mendenhall Student Center hosted a “standing-room-only crowd” for a visit from Coretta Scott King. She was the featured speaker for ECU’s 1982-83 Black Arts Festival, and the crowd gave her a “standing ovation” as she was introduced (“Coretta Scott King”, 1983).
King opened her talk by noting that it was a “very important week”. According to an article from The East Carolinian, “She was referring to the upcoming anniversary of four college students in Greensboro who broke the pre-civil rights segregation law and sat at a whites-only lunch counter as a protest.”, which is more commonly known today as the Greensboro sit-in (“Coretta Scott King”, 1983).
Coretta Scott King encouraged, “black and white, young and old, native Americans, women, peace groups, and others to come together to chart a new nonviolent course.” According to King, “The nonviolent philosophy and strategy of Martin Luther King Jr., provides the key to solving a host of crisis we face today.” (“Coretta Scott King”, 1983).
Sources:
Amelia Earhart to lecture here tomorrow night. (1936, January 14). The Teco Echo. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/38034
Coretta Scott King attracts crowds to program about husband’s legacy. (1983, February 1). The East Carolinian. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/57530
Mrs. King comes to ECU. (1983, January). The Ebony Herald. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/56995
Mrs. Roosevelt to appear here Monday night. (1941, November 14). The Teco Echo. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/37896
Tucker, J. A. (2017, October 31). Helen Keller’s Address at ECTTS. ECU Chronicles.
White, N. (1916). A Sketch of Helen Keller. The Training School Quarterly, 3(1), 39–42. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/37011