John Cox was a 56-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place remotely in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1963. He was educated at Appalachian State University, Brandeis University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was employed as Assistant professor of Modern European and World History, and the Founding Director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Human Rights Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University between 2006-2011. Since 2011 he has been employed as Associate Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and Director of the Center for Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
John Cox, Associate Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies,and Director of the Center for Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, shares his experience of April 30th, 2019. Dr. Cox discusses how he found out about the campus shooting of that day, and his reaction when he realized the tragedy had occurred in a friend's class. He recalls how students and colleagues came together to check on one another and specifically praises a student group, Higher Peace, which formed in one of his spring 2019 classes. He speaks to his personal thoughts on the University's response, the somewhat superficiality of the Niner Nation Unites campaign, and his participation in the Friday night vigil. Dr. Cox discusses his conversations with various housekeeping, facilities and dining services workers and their treatment by upper management in the days after the shooting. He recounts how a Prospector worker used her medical knowledge to treat an injured student and his involvement in reuniting the student and worker, whom he considers a hero. He discusses the treatment of minimum wage workers and their connection to the University, noting that all employees consider themselves part of the Niner Nation. Dr. Cox often teaches about sensitive subjects in his courses on Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Studies and ends by speaking to how the event has made him more conscious and aware of student trauma and of how we communicate with those experiencing trauma.
