RICHARD G. CARLSON

1943 - 2015

BORN

1943

DIED

2015

RICHARD CARLSON Obituary

CARLSON, RICHARD G., PhD Died 01/19/2015- Richard George Carlson was born on August 6, 1943, the son of George Washington Carlson and Gladys Richardson Jones Carlson. He was educated in New Haven schools, University of Vermont (BA/MA) and University of Virginia (PhD). A specialist in Early American and Minority history, Dr. Carlson taught at the University of Vermont (where he taught one of the first college-level courses on American Indian history offered in New England), Yale University, Champlain College, Post University and Albertus Magnus College. From 1979 to 1988 he was managing editor of The Frederick Douglass Papers Project at Yale, and from 1989 to 1995 he edited The Eagle, a bi-monthly newspaper concentrating on Native news from New England. In addition to articles in scholarly and general publications, Dr. Carlson’s publications include the first three volumes of The Frederick Douglass Papers: Speeches, Debates and Interviews; An Illustrated Atlas of Native American History; and Rooted Like The Ash Trees: New England Indians and the Land, a now classic collection of historical and contemporary writings by New England native people. In Vermont, Dr. Carlson served on the Indian Commissions of Governors Thomas Salmon and Richard Snelling, the Burlington Democratic City committee and the Burlington Historic Sites Advisory Board. In Connecticut he served on the Food and Nutrition Advisory Board of the American Indians for Development, the Board of Directors (including Chair) of Eagle Wing Press, Inc., and the Board of Trustees of the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, CT. He was a member for more than 50 years of First Church of Christ in New Haven (Center Church), where served on the Board of Christian Service and the Board of Deacons (Chair) and where he joined other members in giving guided tours of its historic crypt. Dr. Carlson, a member of the Vermont Alpha chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, received numerous awards and citations for his academic and civic work as well as for his involvement with New England’s native communities. Dr. Carlson is survived by numerous colleagues and friends throughout the country. A memorial service will be held at Center church in the Spring.

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Published by The New Haven Register from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for RICHARD CARLSON

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6 Entries

Daniel Kasowitz

February 14, 2019

Richard was reserved. When he did speak, he was soft-spoken. I was in Cub Scouts with him. Our first cub scout meeting was held at Richard's house where his mother taught us a valuable skill: how to sew. She showed us how to thread a needle, sew material (we sewed puppets from cloth), and how to cut and tie a knot in the thread. It is a skill I still use today. It seems that I am talking more about Richard's mother than about Richard. Which shows how reserved Richard was. He kept to himself.

Ida Strang

April 6, 2015

I will always miss his sense of humor and the good times of watching silent movies from his collection hand synced with the appropriate music. Time spent with his parents and all the wonderful holiday dinners we had. He devoted so much of his time to such good causes and can be remembered for his time and work and caring for others.

Yale Bookstore

February 5, 2015

Richard was an integral part of the Yale Bookstore.

Daniel Kasowitz

February 3, 2015

My first memory of Richard was in Cub Scouts. His mother was our den mother, and at our first den meeting she taught us to sew (puppets!), a skill which has served me well to this day (the sewing, not the puppets). Richard and I went to elementary and secondary school together. He always stood up straight, shoulders back, giving him the appearance of rectitude, such as a New England Congregational preacher might have. His reserved, reticent manner added to the image. A deacon of Center Church in New Haven? That suits him. Yet he was a gentle, soft-spoken person. New England was his territory. He spent his summers on a farm in Vermont, herding cows, and he told me how he used to herd the flocks out of the field in the evening, calling out, “Co-ow-ow-ow. Co-ow-ow-ow,” lifting his voice on the final “ow.” He loved Robert Frost's poetry. Richard and I had a mutual friend, Pam Young, and the three of us were never closer than the summer of 1961: reading poetry to each other, having a toga party, and strolling around the backyard of the Youngs' Woodbridge farm. Regrettably, I lost touch with him after that, and a few years ago when I tried to locate him through the Hillhouse Reunion Committee, they couldn't find him and neither could I. I am glad to hear that he devoted his intelligence and time to Frederick Douglass and to American Native Indians.
-Daniel Kasowitz

February 2, 2015

Richard was a fine person, always pleasant. Believe we had more than one class together at Hillhouse. Sad but true; we are all getting older and facing life challenges. My sympathy to his famile.
Anne Beck

February 2, 2015

My condolences to Dick's family. I was honored to have known him as my Hillhouse '61 classmate.

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