Dr. Carolyn McCaskill is a graduate of the Alabama School for the Deaf in Talladega, Alabama. In 1977, she completed a BA degree in Psychology with a minor in Social Work, and a MA degree in Counseling of the Deaf in 1979 both from Gallaudet (College) University. Dr. McCaskill successfully defended her dissertation in January, 2005 one year after her younger sister. This made her the second deaf black female to earn a Ph.D from Gallaudet University.
From 1979-1996, Dr. McCaskill has held several positions as a residence and high school counselor at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf and a counselor at the Houston Community College System. She was also a career counselor and Coordinator of Minority Achievement and Multicultural Program for Pre-college Programs at Gallaudet University. She is currently a Professor in the ASL & Deaf Studies Department at Gallaudet University and has been teaching since 1996. She has served as the Coordinator of the Deaf Studies Program since 2005.
Carolyn has conducted numerous seminars and workshops related to multicultural issues in the Deaf community, and Black Deaf history community, and culture. Dr. McCaskill is a recipient of the Thomas and Julia Mayes Award 2005. Among her credits are numerous presentations, poster sessions on topics such as: Embracing Cultural Diversity in the Deaf Community, Remembering Hurricane Katrina, Hear what our Hands Have to Say, Black Deaf Americans Who are We?, From Segregation to Desegregation of Black Deaf Schools: Policy Implications, Black Deaf History: Telling Our Story. Among her publications is one that she did with her sister Angela McCaskill in 1992 “A Minority within a Minority: Being Black, Deaf and a Female.” Other publications include: Out of Ordinaries, Black Ph.d/Ed.D, the New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, Multicultural/Minorities Issues in Deaf Studies, Empowerment and the Black Deaf Experience and Black Perspectives and the Deaf Community.
McCaskill is the co-author of a book/DVDThe Hidden Treasures of Black ASL: Its History and Structure published May 2011. Carolyn and the co-authors have given over 22 presentations related to various aspects of Black ASL on a local, national and global level.
She was selected as a Diversity Fellows in the Provost office in 2006 and in 2011-2012 with the Office of Diversity & Inclusion. Carolyn was responsible for the Language & Communication Unit. Like her sister, she has always been involved in issues related to social justice for deaf people of color.
Carolyn resides in Largo, Maryland and is the proud mother of two sons, Jamel and Deron. Also the grandmother of precious Nina.
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