Carolyn Marie Plasket Barrow (January 31, 1917 – November 11, 2001), also known as Carolyn Plaskett, was an American-born illustrator, international scholar, and first lady of Barbados. She was born in Orange, New Jersey and was the only child of her parents, Reverend Dr. George Plaskett and Carrie Davenport Plaskett. Plaskett was married to the first Prime Minister

Errol Walton Barrow Errol Walton Barrow (21 January 1920 – 1 June 1987) was a Barbadian statesman and the first prime minister of Barbados. Born into a family of political and civic activists in the parish of Saint Lucy, he became a WWII aviator, combat vete ...

, who successfully brought Barbados its independence from the British in 1966. During her time as first lady Plaskett was known for advocating relations between America and Barbados.

Personal life

Born to Reverend Dr. George M. Plaskett of St. Croix, Virgin Islands and Carrie Davenport of

Montclair, New Jersey Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. As ...

, Plaskett grew up in a religious household. The Plaskett family belonged to the Church of the Epiphany in Orange, New Jersey, where her father George Plaskett was the rector for 40 years. The Plaskett's were a middle-class family that were deeply involved with the community. Alongside being a scholar, Plaskett was also a member of her local YWCA in Orange, New Jersey. After graduating from Orange High School in 1934, Plaskett went to Oberlin College to pursue her bachelor's degree and upon graduation went abroad to study in Paris and Denmark. While abroad, she met Errol Walton Barrow, who was studying at King's College in London. The two later married. Plaskett went on to have two children, Leslie Barrow and David Barrow. After years of marriage, Errol Barrow died in 1987, leaving Carolyn a widow at the age of 70. She died in 2001 at the age of 84 in Barbados of a natural death.

Education

At Oberlin College, she studied fine arts and was one of few black students present at the college at the time. After completing her bachelor's degree at Oberlin College, Plaskett went abroad in 1937 for 18 months where she went onto graduate school and studied art at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art (now part of

Parsons School of Design Parsons School of Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is a private art and design college located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Founded in 1896 after a group of progressive artists broke away from established Manhatt ...

) in a dual location program in Denmark and Paris. She studied at the Maison de Molière and was a resident scholar at International People's College in Helsingor, Denmark.

Legacy

As the First Lady of Barbados, Plaskett was a vital resource for the country. On September 10, 1968 she and the Prime Minister paid a visit to the White House under the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. Here a state dinner was held in efforts to build international relations and in congratulate Barbados on its independence from Britain. Being the First Lady of Barbados, Plaskett believed in the efforts of humanitarianism among her busy schedule she was a member of the New Jersey Foundation of Colored Women's Clubs, Inc.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Plaskett, Carolyn 1917 births 2001 deaths Oberlin College alumni Orange High School (New Jersey) alumni Parsons School of Design alumni People from Orange, New Jersey First ladies of Barbados American expatriate academics Immigrants to Barbados American expatriates American expatriates in Denmark American expatriates in France African-American illustrators