(upbeat music) - [Announcer] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music) - I am Mike Galligan with the Law Offices of Galligan and Newman in McMinnville, Tennessee.

I support WCTE, the Upper Cumberland's own PBS station because I believe it is important to create entertaining TV programs that also promote life-long learning and understanding.

When I support WCTE, I know that I am helping our Upper Cumberland community for generations to come.

- [Announcer] The Law Offices of Galligan and Newman provide clients with large firm expertise, and small firm personalized care and service.

- Jesus loved the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, black, and white.

They are precious in his sight.

Jesus loved the little children of the world.

It didn't exclude anyone.

And so I've been an includer, not an excluder.

(gentle music) (upbeat music) - Dr. Carl Owens, I'm so excited to have this chance to talk with you.

You're a Professor of Educational Technology at Tennessee Tech University, have been there for 40 years which does not even seem possible.

You're also an Apple-distinguished educator and have been for like 25 years, you're one of the first.

We just recently had the pleasure of seeing an incredible article on apple.com about you and being a distinguished educator.

You are really just an amazing human being but you're my friend, which I'm so proud of.

And we have been friends for 40 years.

- Yes.

- So Carl, this is just a joy.

You're a native of Bessemer, Alabama which is really close to Birmingham, right?

- It's just across the highway.

- And you know, let's talk about that first.

How did growing up in Bessemer, Alabama shape you?

- I am so happy that you asked that question because you know, so many people who have known me in my time at tech as the professor or the events and things that I coordinate, and my participation in the community.

Bessemer was a wonderful community to grow up in.

In my time, I lived in a all African-American community but unlike the perception that people have, the men worked, most of the men worked and some of the ladies who did work were domestics.

And I have all of this in context.

But we had, unlike the current perception, we had beautiful manicured lawns, we had milk delivery, we had a vegetable vendor.

We had all of these things in a wonderful neighborhood and we had community.

And so in my formative years, you know, that's how I was raised.

And when I was nine years old, Martin Luther King's Poor People's March to Washington passed one block in front of my parents' home.

So if you see the pictures of the covered wagons, we walked over to the highway and I experienced that.

And it is a powerful moment in my life.

- Did your mom and dad go with you or did you just go over there?

- Everything in my family was family.

So, you know, unlike today we took our meals together, we went to church together.

And so we knew that event was going to happen.

And actually the night before, at my aunt's church, we went to hear him speak.

But when you're nine years old, you know, how do you process the fact that you're here hearing a preacher you know, and the power of that.

But I have looked back on that and remembered those two days often.

- You speak so eloquently about your parents.

And I know they were extremely influential.

I loved what you posted on Facebook about your mom getting her voter registration.

- Yes.

- How much did they mentor you?

- All that I am, and all that I could ever be, I owe to my parents.

And I've said this before and people wanted it in context.

My father worked, his sole purpose in life was to educate his children.

And he did that working in a steel mill as his job.

He was very crafty, he could paint, he could build, he could do all of these incredible things.

And we're talking about a man because of circumstance, who was only able to complete the eighth grade.

My mother on the other hand, was a very bright and talented woman.

And she graduated high school in 11 years.

And so I say my work ethic in terms of all that I've done, that influence, about how do you make life better came from my father.

But clearly, you know, you've been to my home and the artistic piece of me and the creative piece is my mother, but yes, clearly they were both a huge influence.

And yeah, family, family first.

And that is, you know, the person that people see out and my way reflects my parents and their inability to achieve their dreams but their dreams, and especially my father, was to see his children educated.

And I'm happy to say that in their lifetimes, they saw all of their children earn at least the bachelor's degree, this from a man who only earned $21,000 in a hot, hard job in a foundry.

And because of that, that's why I have a doctorate today.

It was important to me to show that through education, and the things that they did that, you know, I got to live the life that they were not allowed to live.

And I celebrated them until their last days.

- That's so wonderful.

And you've influenced so many students in your career at Tennessee Tech, your involvement in the community.

You talked about being involved in the community which has been significant.

You've been on the WCTE Board of Directors, our community advisory board.

I know you've been, I think you're the first African American elected to the hospital board, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center.

- Currently serving the second year of a seven-year term yes.

- Wow.

And so many things.

So why is that involvement in the community important?

And then also, what do your students learn from you by seeing that?

- My mother was hugely involved in the community.

Again, you know, you talk about someone for those people who are just living in the now.

If you think about an African-American female able to pass the voter registration test in 1957 when I was two years old, that was not an easy task.

That test changed for each individual.

A question potentially was, name every county in the state of Alabama, and then name every county seat.

I challenge everyone in this state to do that with 96 counties.

So again, how was it possible to pass a test like that?

And of all the documents that I own, I have in my possession my mother's voter registration card, which, you know, there's certain times of the year that I take that out, and my involvement in my political views were born out of my mother's love of community and courses like civics and government, which I think clearly should be added back to the curriculum.

And, you know, every Wednesday I went to the library and this is another story that I tell.

I've had the great fortune to travel around the world.

And so I travel first there in my imagination in books.

Places like China or Paris to see the Eiffel Tower or you know, the Great Wall, and all of these things.

And I have gone through life, absorbing those things with a child-to-like eye.

So if I'm in a culture, I want to be in that culture where I have no like pre-conceived thoughts about what the food's going to be, and what is going to be like.

And as I've traveled around this planet, people have maybe seen that in me, and it is the best part of travel.

Now, how has that influenced my students?

I've never been the type of professor who taught from a book.

So you understand the information, you know what you have to teach.

And so you deliver that information.

And with technology unlike mathematics or science, those are fixed subjects.

Yes there's change, but in technology, if we look back to 1984 or to where we are now, I would always say, "If you teach this course in the same way you did last semester, you're behind.

Because technology is always moving forward."

And it's been fun and easy.

You know, it's that natural.

- Are you a futurist then?

- So I was influenced by a futurist as we talked about in the program would Phil Oldham, and a futurist is a person who has the ability to see things that are coming.

And I was hugely influenced by John Thompson, I mentioned him in the other interview.

People wonder why I've enjoyed the Macintosh.

He had one of the first, one of the first Macintosh, Apple Macintosh computers ever.

And of course it influenced me to procure one of those.

So I have one that has Steve Jobs and Steve Woz' signature.

They were so proud of that creation.

And I look back now, then when things like the internet or cell phones, they spoke of all of those things.

And so I would like to think that as I come to the end of my career, actually I've sort of turned off the futurist.

What has really happened to me now is I was always chasing that what's next, what's next?

And I've come to a point where technology is great, but I have a manual transmission in my car.

And let me tell you, it brings me more joy than having to have something warn me that I'm in the wrong lane or a car that drives me although that is the future, but there's still a joy in that.

- That's incredible Carl, that you celebrate that.

I mean, you know, looking to the future but celebrating the past.

And using the past really.

You know, that article from Apple was so significant to me because it also reminded me about the investment Apple has made in education.

25 years of celebrating distinguished educators, Apple educators.

So why was that important to education?

- So in the history of technology, Apple was first known as the education company.

I mean, as they produced technology, there were bundles.

And so you'd have a science bundle, a mathematics bundle, and their thing was, you know, education.

Long before there was an iPhone or iPad.

And as a teacher, I was captivated by, here's technology that aids Carl in doing what he does best.

And they always had products.

One of the first digital cameras, an Apple QuickTake camera was one of the first digital cameras ever.

And then there were scanners, and all of these things.

Tools for creation.

- Let's talk about your creative side because I understand you're writing a book.

- Yes.

When you have been involved in reading over a long period of time, and I have had many influential people in my life and I don't like to use their names but this particular person who is a person of great fame, we were in conversation.

And he said to me, "Everyone has a story.

And so for our future generations, everyone should write their story."

And so I think about my grandmother and my mother and father and so all of those things and the life that I live that is a life that most people don't perceive especially from African Americans.

And so it's up to me to tell that story.

So I document my childhood, I document my adolescence, lots of fun things that have happened along the way, the realities also of being an African American in the United States of America.

And so, you know, my desire is to get that done.

- Did you keep a journal all this time?

- So one of the beautiful things about being a technologist is always having an audio recorder.

And so, and as it relates to my grandmother, my mama Lucile, Elly Lucille Henley Owens, who lived to be 105 years old.

That still remains the guiding spirit of my life.

She grew up in a time that was very difficult.

But her vision was always all about love.

And her spirit is with me every day of my life.

And I have about 40 hours of her.

Every question that I could possibly ask about her life and what it was like to be a child and to come through her life, I have recorded.

- You have those audio recordings?

- Actually they're on U-matic.

- Oh my gosh.

- U-matic cassettes.

- Yes.

- But I still have the device.

And at some point I'm going-- - You're gonna digitize.

- Yes.

Digitize that.

But there are times that I will set that up and live in that world again.

- Why did you come to Tennessee Tech?

Why did you come to Cookeville, Tennessee?

- I was working at, at the time it was Alexander City State Junior College.

And I had always wanted to pursue a doctorate.

Actually, the Genesis of that idea I was sitting in church on one Sunday and I was an usher.

So we sat at the back of the church.

And I would be the first to admit that I was daydreaming.

And I'm in God's house, and he just spoke to me and I dreamed this life.

I dreamed that I would ultimately earn a doctorate, that I would be a professor and teach.

And at 65 years old, every dream I've ever had to show my mother and father that they could produce a child who could earn a doctorate, to travel around the world, to look at life with a childlike eye happened on a Sunday morning in Canaan Missionary Baptist Church.

And so I came to the realization a few years ago, that all of the things that I dreamed, came true.

And so unlike some people and even my friends who are disappointed with sort of where they are, I consider myself spirit-led.

And so through all the ups and downs, and the challenges that we face in life, you know, my path was made easier by my belief in God.

- That's amazing Carl, but I'm gonna ask you this question.

What has it been like being an African-American man, educator, in a region that's not as diverse?

- I was raised in a world where at our core, we respected everyone.

Challenging?

Absolutely.

I know where I live, I'm very well-read.

I understand black history well, and one of my things for peace is to drive in the countryside.

This area reminds me so much of driving in Italy.

And you know, those who know me know I enjoy driving.

So driving to me is not from point A to B. I enjoy taking one of my vehicles out and the challenge of a manual transmission car, like in Italy.

And as I drive, I still see signs that are hard and offensive, like the Confederate flag.

No matter what your thought is about that, or African American jockeys, or these signs of a past life that are not flattering to me.

And so I acknowledged that in my head, don't find anger, and just move on knowing that these things exist.

And for those who have been to my home, clearly there are signs that represent that life because I'd never wanna forget it.

I actually have slave chains hanging in my home.

And again, it's not a negative unless you want it to be, but to forget the history of African Americans in this country being one, I will never step away from that but I wanna be Carl Owens first.

I wanna be a lot of things before I'm Carl Owens the black man.

- Carl, in the time we have left, are there recommendations you would make about media we should consume to learn?

- There are a number of different films that depict black history.

And one of those probably is one that I revisit often and most people have not seen.

And that's "12 Years a Slave."

It's such a powerful movie.

A prominent African-American, who's a musician, who's a man of society.

He has a wonderful home and family, American.

And he's kidnapped off into slavery and taken to Mississippi.

That's powerful, that's a powerful movie.

And that represents something glory.

Another movie that shows African Americans involved in the civil war.

I've studied as a reader, the Harlem Renaissance, oh my gosh, man, the creativity from African Americans in that period, or even jazz, which is my favorite form of music.

And so all of these things I put in perspective to my life.

And you know, when I'm out, I carry all of that forward, but I disrespect no man, no matter where you are on an economic scale.

One other things that I wrote about when I was writing about my mother, are the church.

Jesus loved the little children, all the children of the world.

Red and yellow, black, and white.

They are precious in his sight.

Jesus loved the little children of the world.

It didn't exclude anyone.

And so I've been an includer, not an excluder.

- So Carl, Apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

And I know your son, Winston, has an amazing career.

And I just really would like for you to share that, and also how you feel, maybe you influenced him.

- One of the things growing up in an environment where all the children were bright.

But the opportunity to attend the private school was way outside the bounds of what my father and my mother and could provide.

And so one of my dreams was that if I ever had a child, I would be able to give that child the education that I lacked.

And so, you know, Winston attending the McCallie School in Chattanooga was the first opportunity for that to become real.

And then from there, an academic scholarship to Pomona College, which is one of the finest institutions in this country.

And to see him now as a principal at iris.tv where he lives in Los Angeles, I am very proud of my child.

He ended up in technology, but Winston is a great writer.

And so, you know, I never wanted him, I wanted Winston to become Winston.

So I never influenced him for sports or whatever.

You know, you see a child and I wanted him to be not from a mold.

And so he has become the child that I dreamed he would be, and we speak quite often, and I say I've produced lots of programs and I've taken lots of pictures and done lots of creative things, but by far, my greatest work is Carl Winston Owens the second.

(both laughing) - I love that.

That is great.

You know, let's talk about young people.

Rural communities are still disconnected in many places, you know, we've made great strides in broadband and thank goodness for rural telephone cooperatives.

But it's still hard for students.

And so what would you like to see for students in our region?

- I speak of this often and that's equity and access.

You know, in my time to garner information, one had to go to the library.

And these days with the internet, and direction with the internet, for the acquisition of knowledge and truth.

Everyone should have access to that.

And I see that we're beginning to make strides in that way but there are still those people who don't have the appropriate tools to be able to consume that information.

One of the best parts of my life was on Wednesdays, going to the library and reading books and seeing these things that I dreamed about, and then finding myself in those places and being humbled to be in a foreign country.

And to see and experience that firsthand.

There is no greater thing than travel.

This quote has been said often.

"Travel is the greatest deterrent to racism and bigotry on the planet."

To remove yourself from where you are and to see how other humans live on this planet.

And I celebrate that.

I celebrate that through interaction.

I celebrated it through food.

I've celebrated it through just sitting down and speaking to a person who could speak no English and communicate.

That's a gift.

And where I went away from that interaction knowing that as a human being, I communicated with another human being on this planet.

That's a beautiful thing.

- It is a beautiful thing.

I'm gonna give you a Carl Owens quote here.

"The greatest joy in life is not to form students in your likeness, but to empower them to become greater than what they perceive they can be.

I've planted enough trees on the earth, and by that I mean the thousands of students that I've had the opportunity to work with" In your 40-year career as a university professor, you have planted so many trees.

This quote is so true.

So what's next?

- I'm a complex individual.

I think the people who really know me and who are truly my friends, know that I'm far from one dimensional.

You know, the old tech professor.

And so I have to figure out how to channel those levels of complexity that people don't see or understand.

And I've not asked God to give me that yet.

I wanna take a year where I turn my brain off.

And then coming out the other side of that, you know, he's given me a life that I dreamed and so I will allow him to bring that to me.

When I was 50, and I'm 65 now, I realized that my job to a large extent had been my life.

And as I watched people who had vibrant lives die suddenly, I said, I do not want my job to be my life.

And that's when I really started to slow things down.

And as a good friend of mine would say to me and in my formative years, "At some point you have to stop and smell the roses and the flowers along the way."

A lifetime cyclist, you know and I would just go out and pump out 100 miles.

And when she said that, I took that to heart.

So I will just smell these flowers slower.

No rapid pace life, and I look forward to that.

- Well Carl, this has been a joy for me and I am so grateful to you.

Congratulations, and thank you.

- And I must say, you know, our friendship over these 40 years that I've lived here, of course Anthony Robinson is your first cousin, and we have this kind of family connection.

You are absolutely in this town and in my sphere, one of the most beautiful human beings I've ever met.

And you know, I wrote words to you saying that, and it didn't have to be on Sunday morning for me to realize that.

You know, we've come this journey together and I've always respected what you've done and my time and my volunteerism at WCTCE has been the easiest of all of the things to do in my life and in my career.

And you can call me in the future, just don't call me too often.

(both laughing) - Okay, thanks friend.

- Yes.

- I will do it.

- Yes.

(soft music) (upbeat music) - I am Mike Galligan, with the Law Offices of Galligan and Newman in McMinnville, Tennessee.

I support WCTE, the Upper Cumberland's own PBS station, because I believe it is important to create entertaining TV programs that also promote life-long learning and understanding.

When I support WCTE, I know that I am helping our Upper Cumberland community for generations to come.

- [Announcer] The law offices of Galligan and Newman provide clients with large firm expertise and small firm personalized care and service.

(soft music) (upbeat music) - [Announcer] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music)