The Men of Carver: Mr. O and the Welding Class of 1973 weaves together the life stories of welding teacher Aaron Ostrofsky (“Mr. O”), a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe, and his first class of students, all African American men. In 1973, graduating members of Carver’s welding class jointly wrote a letter to their principal expressing their love for a white teacher who never saw the color of their skin as a barrier to helping them grow as welders and men.

In professionally recorded interviews in April 2024, the living members of the class — George Washington, Tony Coward, Kenneth Wesley and Johnnie Davis — reaffirmed their affection and gratitude for Mr. O. They credited him with not only changing their lives, but also those of their children and grandchildren, helping their families achieve the American dream.

The Men of Carver will include complementary cinematic, written and online works that honor the transformative contributions of teachers and vocational education graduates who helped build 20th-century America. The project also advocates for renewed emphasis on hands-on, high-impact learning practices in 21st-century public schools.

The exhibit is on view from September 1 through December 18 in the Sherman Hayes Gallery, located on the first floor of Randall Hall at UNCW Library.