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 notable 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 impact on ECU’s history, 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 world-class speaker to visit the campus. 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”, emphasizing that true happiness comes from helping others. She made bold political statements, proudly supporting women’s suffrage and identifying as a socialist. When asked about her views on war, Keller was a pacifist, famously saying she was “dead against” military preparedness, but believed in “preparedness” for things like education and better wages.
Keller’s visit sparked conversations about social and political change, challenging the status quo and encouraging people to think differently about happiness, politics, and peace
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.”
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”.
The Ebony Herald, January 1983. “Mrs. King Comes to ECU.” https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/56995
During her time in Greenville, Roosevelt was hosted by ECTC President L. R. Meadows and took the opportunity to engage with the community by visiting a local youth center. She also sat down for an interview with college and high school students, as well as with local publications. 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 was packed to capacity 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.
King opened her talk by reflecting on the significance of that week, which marked the anniversary of the historic Greensboro lunch counter sit-in, where four college students protested the F.W. Woolworth’s store segregation policies by sitting at the whites-only counter.
She spoke passionately about embracing a “new nonviolent course” and shared how the continuing work of her late husband, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., remained a “great source of strength” for her. King emphasized the need for a global effort rooted in justice, brotherhood, and peace, urging that only through collective action can oppressed people around the world achieve true freedom.
Additional Resources:
Training School Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 1: “A Sketch of Helen Keller” by Nelle White – https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/37011
The Teco Echo, January 14-1936: “Amelia Earhart to Lecture Here Tomorrow Night” – https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/38034
The Teco Echo, November 14, 1941: “Mrs. Roosevelt to Appear Here Monday Night” – https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/37896
The Ebony Herald, January 1983: “Mrs. King Comes to ECU” – https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/56995
The East Carolinian, February 1, 1983: “Coretta Scott King Attracts Crowds to Program About Husband’s Legacy” – https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/57530