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.
In this second of two interviews, 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 more of his experience of April 30th, 2019. Dr. Cox discusses the experiences of low paid workers at UNC Charlotte and the importance of documenting their experiences surrounding the shooting. In the week after the shooting, Dr. Cox spoke with multiple facilities, housekeeping, and dining services workers about their experience in the aftermath of the shooting on campus. He expresses his concern over the treatment of workers by the administration and the lack of a collective voice for low paid workers on campus, which was apparent after the shooting. He reads from personal notes written after speaking with UNC Charlotte workers in the week after the tragedy and notes the lack of information provided to workers regarding counseling, and their fear of retaliation in speaking out. Dr. Cox reached out to the Chancellor's office and administrative officials after the shooting and discusses their responses to his emails. He continues to share his concern for dining workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, as many were furloughed, and reiterates his recollection of the powerful examples of compassion which emerged in the aftermath of the tragedy.
