A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Lindsay Odom with Caroline Dawson on November 16, 2015. Born on March 3, 1921, Dawson served in the American Red Cross from 1943 to 1944, working in hospital recreation at Camp Butner, NC.
Growing up during the Great Depression, she experienced a close-knit community that supported one another through hardship. After college, she felt compelled to contribute to the war effort and was recruited into the Red Cross, training in Washington, D.C. at American University. She describes her daily responsibilities coordinating activities for wounded and recovering soldiers, including leading games, showing films, and organizing crafts. She recalls the segregated hospital wards, meeting boxer Joe Louis who visited the hospital to boost morale, and the importance of small comforts, such as Red Cross Christmas packages for the troops.
