One of the things that drew me to Ralph Watkins was that he was a committed feminist ally. For a man of his generation, whose masculinity was formed in the pre-Second Feminist wave era, he was truly unique. Ralph genuinely liked women and women genuinely liked Ralph. He was comfortable around them and they were comfortable around him.
Perhaps his ease and comfort with women had something to do with how he was never interested in objectifying women. Or maybe it had something to do with being raised by his mother and his grandmother. I do know that he saw women as having a unique perspective that helped him understand the world around him in a new way. In fact, many of his friends were women: mature women, young women, Black women, White women, Latinas and Asian American women, lesbian women, straight women, U.S.-born or women born in other countries, artists, scholars, the mail carrier. His youngest female friend, our great niece, was ten years old!
Women were drawn to him because he was safe. You never got the usual sexual politics with Ralph. He assumed that women had something important to say, that they were thinking beings, and that he would learn from them in some way. I always found his relationship to the women in his life inspiring. I admired him his ability to put the women he interacted with immediately at ease. I marveled at how he seemed to attract women like a magnet. One memory I have regarding how women were drawn to him revolves around a conference on Puerto Rican women we both attended at SUNY-Albany in the early ‘90s. I had just returned to the East coast from graduate school to do field work in New York City. I found out about the conference and he came along, interested as he was in women’s issues and scholarship on, by or about women. Over the course of the two days, every time I turned around some woman was calling out to him by name and saying hello or stopping him to talk intently about something they had learned in a session. I was amazed at how many people---women---he met at the place and said to him “damn, Ralph, you’re a woman-magnet.” He shook his head and smiled that enigmatic smile of his.
Ralph was the one who put the landmark book on multiracial feminism, This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, into my hands when I was 20 years old. This book had the effect of transforming my life by articulating so much of my own submerged political and social values and ideas about what it means to be a working class woman of color raised in the United States. He had met the Black feminist Barbara Smith at a conference while she was tabling for Kitchen Table Press and struck up a conversation with her. He ended up buying a copy of the book for me and one for him.
On Ralph’s memorial folder is a quote from a play by Ntozake Shange, the black revolutionary poet and playwright from the 70s. Shange once came to speak at SUCO. Ralph was responsible for taking her around. Shange had been severely criticized by black men, especially black revolutionary men, for her feminist views in her commercially successful play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. But in Ralph she found a kindred spirit who saw the beauty of her vision ----that unless Black women are free none of us are---and was not daunted by it. Ralph was committed to freedom in the largest sense of the word. They had such a marvelous time together that by the end of the day they were holding hands as they walked around campus like old friends. I savored that image of them for years.
Just this past June, I was about to attend a woman’s drumming event about two hours away from here. I did not read the fine print and found out from a friend that the group sponsoring the event had a policy of “only women-born women” allowed to the event. “Only women-born women” I yelled as I read the policy, and went to find Ralph to share this and my sense of stunned outrage with him. He immediately, without equivocation said “Oh, well you can’t go.” For me that summarizes so much about Ralph. His commitment to women was inclusive, had integrity and was unflinching, even for those women who acquired their gender identity as women much later in life than the rest of us. It has been that unflinching commitment to social justice that made my 23 years with Ralph so wonderful.
-Caridad Souza
Friday, October 26, 2007
In Memory
There I was, in the 1977-1978 school year, a junior at Oneonta. My political consciousness was growing in leaps and bounds and I found myself taking all the courses I could in what was then called the Black/Hispanic Studies Department. And that is how I stumbled across Ralph Watkins and his “Comparative Slavery” course. I was just starting to put the pieces together of what institutional racism was and how it functioned - and Ralph was right there with a map to show me the way. He had patience with my “Long Island white girl” naivete, but simultaneously knew how to challenge me to dig deeper, as he understood that I was searching, longing to know more, and he supported me through the process. And the teaching did not stop at the classroom door. I distinctly remember stopping by his office one day to talk, and he told me to read Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man”, which he described as a novel that was like jazz, filled with syncopation, rhythm, and beat. And then of course, there were all those after hours talks, and beers, at the Black Oak...and laughter, oh, the laughter! I can hear his laugh and see his smile as I write this.....
I left Oneonta in 1979 and moved on to Boston University to receive a dual Masters in Social Work and African American Studies. And for the past 17 years, I have run my own consulting company that focuses on diversity and anti-racism. The solid foundation I got from Ralph is with me each and every day in my work.
As the years past, Ralph became more than my teacher and mentor – he became my friend. I am honored to have know him. He impacted my life in a very profound way, as I know he impacted many, many others over the course of his teaching career. What a rare gift indeed to have had him in my life. He will be missed.
With love,
Patti DeRosa
I left Oneonta in 1979 and moved on to Boston University to receive a dual Masters in Social Work and African American Studies. And for the past 17 years, I have run my own consulting company that focuses on diversity and anti-racism. The solid foundation I got from Ralph is with me each and every day in my work.
As the years past, Ralph became more than my teacher and mentor – he became my friend. I am honored to have know him. He impacted my life in a very profound way, as I know he impacted many, many others over the course of his teaching career. What a rare gift indeed to have had him in my life. He will be missed.
With love,
Patti DeRosa
A Memorial Tribute to Dr. Ralph Watkins
I met Ralph Watkins in the fall of 1970. We were both first year students in the history Ph.D. program at SUNY Buffalo. From the outset we became close friends. For one thing, we had come from similar backgrounds; we came from public housing projects and poor neighborhoods of urban America, we were both the first in our families to go to college, and we both tended to see the world from the perspective of common and ordinary people. Those factors led to both of us having a strong attraction to community history. That is what I remember most about Ralph; his strong interest in community history and his tendency to see historical issues from the perspective of ordinary people.
One example comes to mind. During our graduate school years it was fashionable to view the historical conflict between W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington from the perspective of DuBois and so called “progressive” blacks. Most academic types had a negative view of Washington’s arguments. I think that because of Ralph’s personal background, he was inclined to be more sympathetic to Washington’s point of view. To the mass of ordinary blacks, Washington’s program of trade schools and practical education was especially attractive; it offered them immediate and tangible benefits. While Ralph always showed an understanding and an appreciation of the DuBois faction’s views, he was never willing to denigrate Washington, as so many people did. Years later, researchers discovered Washington’s behind the scenes and secret activities aimed at undermining segregation. After that, many historians began to cast Washington in a more favorable light. Those scholars apparently began to see a value in Washington’s strategy that Ralph had recognized as a graduate student.
Most of Ralph’s research and scholarly interests would fall into the category of community history. His doctoral dissertation was a groundbreaking study that examined the roles of social and community organizations in Buffalo’s black community in the early 20th century. During a visit to the West Coast, he did a similar study of a community in California. He wrote an excellent history of blacks in the downstate region of New York State. Before he left Buffalo, Ralph was involved in the founding of the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier and its journal, Afro-Americans in New York Life and History. For 32 years he was an assistant editor of the journal; contributing and refereeing articles, and encouraging younger scholars to get involved in researching and writing community history.
For more than 30 years the Afro-American Historical Association has tried to illuminate the rich history of African Americans in the history of New York State. Ralph Watkins was an active participant in that effort. The Association and Buffalo State College established the “Buffalo Afro-American Microfilmed Collection,” which is now one of the nation’s largest collections of primary sources on a regional African American community. Ralph and I worked together to organize and index the “Buffalo Cooperative Economic Society” papers. That large and fantastic collection of papers of an early 20th century Buffalo black self-help group had been stored in cardboard boxes in a garage for years because the owner didn’t want to discard them. There was no archive or repository that wanted a collection of papers on a local black organization. That is the problem that led us to establish the Afro-American Historical Association. Those papers became the first title to be microfilmed as part of the “Buffalo Afro-American Collection.”
My friendship and interactions with Ralph during more than 30 years helped to shape my life as a historian and teacher. Ralph was a serious and no-nonsense scholar and teacher who demanded adherence to the highest standards of academic excellence. Over the years I worked with Ralph on many history projects, and he always did outstanding work. Just knowing that he was on the team and that he was available for advice and support was always a source of personal reassurance.
With the passing of Ralph Watkins, the history profession lost a unique voice. I lost a true friend, and I will miss him.
Monroe Fordham, Professor Emeritus
Buffalo State College
October 2007
One example comes to mind. During our graduate school years it was fashionable to view the historical conflict between W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington from the perspective of DuBois and so called “progressive” blacks. Most academic types had a negative view of Washington’s arguments. I think that because of Ralph’s personal background, he was inclined to be more sympathetic to Washington’s point of view. To the mass of ordinary blacks, Washington’s program of trade schools and practical education was especially attractive; it offered them immediate and tangible benefits. While Ralph always showed an understanding and an appreciation of the DuBois faction’s views, he was never willing to denigrate Washington, as so many people did. Years later, researchers discovered Washington’s behind the scenes and secret activities aimed at undermining segregation. After that, many historians began to cast Washington in a more favorable light. Those scholars apparently began to see a value in Washington’s strategy that Ralph had recognized as a graduate student.
Most of Ralph’s research and scholarly interests would fall into the category of community history. His doctoral dissertation was a groundbreaking study that examined the roles of social and community organizations in Buffalo’s black community in the early 20th century. During a visit to the West Coast, he did a similar study of a community in California. He wrote an excellent history of blacks in the downstate region of New York State. Before he left Buffalo, Ralph was involved in the founding of the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier and its journal, Afro-Americans in New York Life and History. For 32 years he was an assistant editor of the journal; contributing and refereeing articles, and encouraging younger scholars to get involved in researching and writing community history.
For more than 30 years the Afro-American Historical Association has tried to illuminate the rich history of African Americans in the history of New York State. Ralph Watkins was an active participant in that effort. The Association and Buffalo State College established the “Buffalo Afro-American Microfilmed Collection,” which is now one of the nation’s largest collections of primary sources on a regional African American community. Ralph and I worked together to organize and index the “Buffalo Cooperative Economic Society” papers. That large and fantastic collection of papers of an early 20th century Buffalo black self-help group had been stored in cardboard boxes in a garage for years because the owner didn’t want to discard them. There was no archive or repository that wanted a collection of papers on a local black organization. That is the problem that led us to establish the Afro-American Historical Association. Those papers became the first title to be microfilmed as part of the “Buffalo Afro-American Collection.”
My friendship and interactions with Ralph during more than 30 years helped to shape my life as a historian and teacher. Ralph was a serious and no-nonsense scholar and teacher who demanded adherence to the highest standards of academic excellence. Over the years I worked with Ralph on many history projects, and he always did outstanding work. Just knowing that he was on the team and that he was available for advice and support was always a source of personal reassurance.
With the passing of Ralph Watkins, the history profession lost a unique voice. I lost a true friend, and I will miss him.
Monroe Fordham, Professor Emeritus
Buffalo State College
October 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
For the Book of Memories:
Although I had ardently wanted to get to know him better, I really did not know Ralph Watkins well. Nevertheless, I knew of what metal he was made: that it was unstainable, incorruptible, and with a luster death can never touch.
Actually, I knew him mainly through just one student who had written a paper for Dr. Watkins' class and asked me to review it for possible errors. Just as I judge parents by their children, I could see in that intelligent student paper the professor for whom it was intended: the uncompromising but loving scholar-teacher who taught his students that only the truth matters and that truth must be served fearlessly if humanity is to deserve the name of human.
-Hilda Wilcox
Actually, I knew him mainly through just one student who had written a paper for Dr. Watkins' class and asked me to review it for possible errors. Just as I judge parents by their children, I could see in that intelligent student paper the professor for whom it was intended: the uncompromising but loving scholar-teacher who taught his students that only the truth matters and that truth must be served fearlessly if humanity is to deserve the name of human.
-Hilda Wilcox
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. RALPH WATKINS
If I was to capture the essence of Dr. Ralph Watkins I would say that he was “A warrior of purpose”.
Ralph fought for things that mattered.
i) Social justice. He fought for those who society wishes to ignore or oppress.
ii) Excellence in teaching. He fought to bring out best in students.
iii) Representing under-represented historical voices. He fought to share their stories.
It is too easy today to assume that those that fight do so for negative reasons. Many people fight for themselves or fight to conquer others. Ralph was not like that.
He was quiet. He was dignified. He was self-effacing. He had a wicked sense of humor and was the master of the quick retort. But he had purpose and strength.
Ralph taught in the Department of History and Africana and Latino Studies since 1974. Dr. Watkins had been a fixture at the College and had taught courses in African American History, the History of Slavery, the History of the 1970s and American History. He served as Chair of both departments he taught in. He published important articles in well regarded journals and won several National Endowment for the Humanities awards.
I first met Ralph through his writing. When I first learned about my job interview at SUNY Oneonta, I duly looked up the publications of members of the Department of History. I still remember Ralph’s article on fluid gender identities in the writings of Faulkner. Though I am not an American historian, I was very impressed with Ralph’s familiarity and skill in using this important southern writer as a text for cultural and social history.
Getting to know Ralph as a person was an even greater pleasure. Ralph was a private person but still open to young new faculty. He freely gave advice and provided background history to current academic developments. He always had a twinkle in his eye. For a new assistant professor like myself he had the perfect personality. He took his profession seriously but did not put on serious airs.
One of the most pleasant memories I have of Ralph was a lunch we shared in the summer of 2007. Ralph had begun moving out of his office for his retirement (which sadly he did not have much time to enjoy). I met him for lunch one sunny day and we dined outside of Mills Marketplace at a table. We talked about our families and exchanged stories about the progress of the children in our two clans. We talked about the ins and outs of chairing a department. He told me some colorful stories of departmental and college lore. We damned all politicians and solved the world’s problems. And all with good humor. One family story he shared was of a relative who told him as a young boy that “A good day was a day when you had something to eat”. He said what an impression that remark made on him and how an experience like that helped give him a strong social perspective. He made only the most passing reference to his own illness. At one point he good naturedly told me that he had become a “borg” as he now had a permanent port in his chest through which medicine could administered or fluid drained. He was tired but happy with plans for the future. He was at ease and an excellent dining companion. I had no idea he would die so soon.
Let us remember Ralph as he would want to be remembered. He was a family man, a loving husband, a scholar, a teacher and a friend. He inspired and befriended people. He fought for things that were important.
He was a warrior of purpose and we all miss him dearly.
-Dr. Matthew Hendley
Chair, Department of History
SUNY College at Oneonta
Ralph fought for things that mattered.
i) Social justice. He fought for those who society wishes to ignore or oppress.
ii) Excellence in teaching. He fought to bring out best in students.
iii) Representing under-represented historical voices. He fought to share their stories.
It is too easy today to assume that those that fight do so for negative reasons. Many people fight for themselves or fight to conquer others. Ralph was not like that.
He was quiet. He was dignified. He was self-effacing. He had a wicked sense of humor and was the master of the quick retort. But he had purpose and strength.
Ralph taught in the Department of History and Africana and Latino Studies since 1974. Dr. Watkins had been a fixture at the College and had taught courses in African American History, the History of Slavery, the History of the 1970s and American History. He served as Chair of both departments he taught in. He published important articles in well regarded journals and won several National Endowment for the Humanities awards.
I first met Ralph through his writing. When I first learned about my job interview at SUNY Oneonta, I duly looked up the publications of members of the Department of History. I still remember Ralph’s article on fluid gender identities in the writings of Faulkner. Though I am not an American historian, I was very impressed with Ralph’s familiarity and skill in using this important southern writer as a text for cultural and social history.
Getting to know Ralph as a person was an even greater pleasure. Ralph was a private person but still open to young new faculty. He freely gave advice and provided background history to current academic developments. He always had a twinkle in his eye. For a new assistant professor like myself he had the perfect personality. He took his profession seriously but did not put on serious airs.
One of the most pleasant memories I have of Ralph was a lunch we shared in the summer of 2007. Ralph had begun moving out of his office for his retirement (which sadly he did not have much time to enjoy). I met him for lunch one sunny day and we dined outside of Mills Marketplace at a table. We talked about our families and exchanged stories about the progress of the children in our two clans. We talked about the ins and outs of chairing a department. He told me some colorful stories of departmental and college lore. We damned all politicians and solved the world’s problems. And all with good humor. One family story he shared was of a relative who told him as a young boy that “A good day was a day when you had something to eat”. He said what an impression that remark made on him and how an experience like that helped give him a strong social perspective. He made only the most passing reference to his own illness. At one point he good naturedly told me that he had become a “borg” as he now had a permanent port in his chest through which medicine could administered or fluid drained. He was tired but happy with plans for the future. He was at ease and an excellent dining companion. I had no idea he would die so soon.
Let us remember Ralph as he would want to be remembered. He was a family man, a loving husband, a scholar, a teacher and a friend. He inspired and befriended people. He fought for things that were important.
He was a warrior of purpose and we all miss him dearly.
-Dr. Matthew Hendley
Chair, Department of History
SUNY College at Oneonta
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