DR. OLIVER CROMWELL COX
A VOICE, MIND THAT CHANGED HISTORY
IN CELEBRATION OF THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF SOCIOLOGIST DR. OLIVER CROMWELL COX
Trinidad Guardian
August 27, 2001
Page 29
Oliver Cromwell Cox passed away on September 4, 1974, at 73 years of age.
His family presents his rich legacy and fame as a sociologist to the people of Trinidad and Tobago to claim as theirs on this, his 100th birthday celebration. This award-winning, shining star has had innovative, controversial and thought-provoking concepts in his scientific work in the field of sociology that made him one of the most independent thinkers of the 20th century.
In recognition of his life's work, The American Sociology Association annually presents "The Oliver C Cox Award" for the best sociology book. The Missouri Sociological Association presently is conducting "The Oliver C Cox Graduate Student Paper Competition" that ends September 2001. The following profile was excerpted from the recently released book, "Race" by Ann V Awon-Pantin.
Oliver Cromwell Cox was born on August 25, 1901, in Port of Spain, Trinidad, into a middle-class family. His devoted parents, William Raphael Cox and Virginia Blake Cox, brought him up at their homes in Port of Spain and Tabaquite - the location of their cocoa estate.
William Cox insisted all of his children go to the United States to better themselves academically. His oldest son, Ethelbert Fitzgerald, did medicine. On the other hand, Reginald, who wanted to do dentistry, surrendered his dream when the Whites-only dental school of his choice did not accept him.
The person most instrumental in the formation of this outstanding sociology genius, Oliver Cromwell Cox, was his mentor, tutor and uncle, Reginald V Vidale, a school principal who subsequently became inspector of schools; he later became mayor of Port of Spain.
Reginald Vidale was a disciplinarian, a very dignified man and a bookworm. There were famous black lawyers - Muzumbo Lazare, Maxwell Phillip, Edgar Maresse-Smith, HH Hall, Thomas Meade Kelshall, Cyrus Prudhomme David and Sir Henry Alcazar - who impressed Oliver so much he decided to study law in 1919 when he left Trinidad for Chicago.
Having met the prerequisites for entry, he attended and graduated from Northwestern university in 1928, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in law.
Initially, he had planned to return to Trinidad after graduation; however, tragically, he succumbed to poliomyelitis that permanently crippled both legs. Faced with this disability and realising he could not function as an attorney, he felt compelled to find another career.
He then entered the Department of Economics at the University of Chicago. In June 1932, he graduated with a Master's Degree. His thesis was entitled Working men's Compensation in the USA. Knowledge of the law enabled him to present many cases in which he demonstrated to the government ways to improve compensation for all workers.
To this day, workers continue to benefit from the early findings of these cases.
The cause of the Great Depression of the 1930s puzzled Oliver because the opinions of the Chicago economists were unacceptable to his extremely curious mind. His quest for answers led him to believe studying Sociology would help.
"I felt if the economists did not explain what I wanted to know; if economists did not explain the coming of the depression and did not help me to understand the great economic change, then I felt I did not need it."
Consequently, he attended the University of Chicago - Department of Sociology, and graduated on August 22, 1938, with a Ph.D. in Sociology. Not only did he find the answers he sought for the cause of the depression, but also discovered the correlation between sociology and economics. These discoveries led to the inclusion of economics in the teaching of sociology - thus changing the course of sociology.
For Oliver, securing a position in the more resourceful White universities was impossible, considering the racial situation at that time. Oliver settled for Wiley College, a small Baptist school in Marshall, Texas. While there, he held the positions of Professor of Economics and Director of the Bureau of Social Research from 1938 to 1944.
At Wiley, he began his critique of the Caste Interpretation of Race Relations that was gaining popularity among American social scientists. He published Social Focus - The Modern Caste School of Race Relations in 1942. This established him as the first American Sociologist to present an opposing view to the emerging notion of the Black / White relations in the United States as constituting a caste system.
A more comprehensive critique of the caste theory and other concepts can be found in Caste, Class and Race, which was first published by Doubleday & Company in 1942. For this book, which sold out in six months, Cox received the George Washington Carver Award from Doubleday & Company.
Paradoxically, this very publisher refused to continue printing it because of "controversy" and "unprecedented interest." In spite of these reasons and the literary injustice, Monthly Review took on the role as publisher.
In 1944, he accepted a position at Tuskegee Institute as a substitute for other faculty members who were involved in political activities. As Charles Gomillion reports, "Cox was scholarly, and it was felt he could bring some prestige to the school in research and teaching. His publication record was impressive and he was thought highly of by his peers."
In 1949, he applied for a position at Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri, as an associate professor and was hired. It is from there he eventually retired without fanfare. Being the private man he was, this was his special request.
Later on, he was invited to Wayne State University as a "Distinguished Visiting Professor of Sociology." He gained the reputation of being a very demanding professor who took his calling seriously, and expected his students to do likewise. He gave mostly "C" grades to his students. He believed in upgrading their vocabulary, and insisted on the use of appropriate language. He had great disdain for slouching and dozing in class.
His disability paled when he had the accelerator and the gas pedals of his car installed in the steering wheel. He enjoyed driving his own car.
During one of his visits to Trinidad, we were at Staubles Bay, when suddenly he dove into the water and swam to the amazement of everyone. Much of his social life came to a premature stop, which provided an abundance of free time for research and study at the many libraries he frequented.
The goals of Oliver Cromwell Cox were to teach and to improve minds.
He was a philanthropist who was a kind and gentle man. His generosity to all family members was one of the many hallmarks of his character.
Out of special love for his sister Stella Awon, and he children, Joyce Awon Langton, Juliet Awon Uibopuu, Ann V Awon Pantin, Esther Awon Thomasos and June Awon Bellamy, he was particularly generous by his constantly showering them with gifts.
The University of the West Indies will be hosting a celebration for Dr. Cox's 100th birthday on October 18.