An online World History course the summer before his freshman year of high school was the spark that ignited Benjamin Clark’s passion for history.
He was captivated while learning about Alexander the Great’s conquests and the Roman Empire––considered one of the greatest civilizations of all time. Now a senior at UNC Pembroke, Clark chose to broaden his interests as a double major in history and American Indian studies.
Education and history––American Indian history in particular––have always served as the cornerstone of the Clark household. Raised by a family of educators, Clark’s summers were filled with Indian Education program activities and trips to the Museum of the Southeast American Indian at UNCP.
“We didn’t sit around the house in the summer,” said Clark, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair. “Through Indian Education, we visited historic sites like Town Creek Indian Mound, took beading classes, and learned about kinship, family and community. When it was time to decide where to attend college, those memories from Indian Ed spoke to me.
“UNCP is a place where culture and history thrive. It was founded by Native people for Native people and that history was important to me. It was one of the major reasons why I chose UNCP.”
Though from the local community, Clark was adamant about living on campus to immerse himself in the college experience. A member of the Lumbee Tribe, Clark joined Phi Sigma Nu fraternity––the oldest and largest American Indian fraternity in the country. He also landed an internship at the Museum of the Southeast American––bringing his summer childhood experiences full circle. He started working in the collections room and then began offering guided tours, granting him access and networking opportunities with state officials like Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Michelle Lanier, director of N.C. Division of State Historic Sites and PBS CEO David Crabtree.
“Without the museum at the forefront of my UNCP experience, I wouldn’t have been able to get my foot in the door with my future career path,” he said.
While Clark plans to pursue a master’s degree in public history upon graduation in December, he is leaving his options open. He may end up continuing the family tradition.
“My father has been an educator his whole life. My grandmother was a principal, and my sister and aunt are both educators. Education has been a major part of my life, so that passion was instilled in me at an early age. My experiences at UNCP have helped me learn a lot about myself and define what I want to do in the future.”
