Carrie D.V. Stokes was born in 1933, the twin sister of John A. Stokes. Both were raised in Prince Edward County, Virginia, in a family that deeply valued education and civic responsibility. Their parents, Luther and Alice Stokes, instilled in them a strong sense of justice and the importance of standing up for their rights.
In 1951, as a senior at Robert Russa Moton High School, Carrie served as president of the student council. Alongside her brother John, she was a central figure in the planning and execution of the historic student strike on April 23, 1951. The strike was organized to protest the inadequate and unequal conditions at the segregated school, including overcrowded classrooms and poorly constructed facilities. Carrie and John were among the founding members of the student strike committee, working closely with Barbara Johns to coordinate the walkout and subsequent actions.
Following the strike, Carrie continued her advocacy for educational equity. She played a role in seeking legal counsel from the NAACP, which led to the filing of the Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County case. This case became one of the five consolidated into the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in 1954, which declared segregated public schools unconstitutional.
After graduating from high school, Carrie pursued higher education and dedicated her life to teaching. She spent over three decades as a public school teacher in Virginia, embodying the principles of equality and justice that she had championed as a student. Throughout her career, she mentored countless students and remained an advocate for civil rights and educational reform.
Carrie Stokes passed away in 2013, leaving behind a legacy of courage, leadership, and unwavering commitment to justice.