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John Stokes
(1931 - 2022)
In 1951, at the age of 19, Stokes became one of the key student leaders behind the historic Moton High School student strike organized by his classmate Barbara Johns. Frustrated by the poor conditions at their school, Johns and fellow students- his twin sister Carrie Stokes among them-led a walkout that lasted for two weeks. This bold action attracted the attention of NAACP attorneys Spottswood Robinson and Oliver Hill, who’s led the students and their families in filing the Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County case. That case was later bundled into the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in 1954, which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
After the strike, Stokes transferred to Peabody High School in Petersburg, Virginia, to complete his education. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia State University and later a master’s degree in education from Hofstra University in New York. He served in the U.S. Army and built a long career in education, working as a teacher, principal, and administrator in the Baltimore City Public Schools system.
Throughout his life, Stokes remained a tireless advocate for civil rights and educational equity.
He gave frequent talks, participated in documentaries, and helped keep the story of the Moton strike alive for new generations. He co-authored his memoir, Students on Strike: Jim Crow, Civil Rights, Brown, and Me (2008), aimed at helping young readers understand the impact of youth-led activism.
John A. Stokes died on November 10, 2022, at the age of 90. He is remembered not only as a key figure in one of the most consequential student protests in American history but also as a lifelong educator who believed deeply in the power of young people to change the world.
