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“We were children, but we knew it wasn’t right. We stood up not just for ourselves, but for the generations who would come after us.”
—Joy Cabarrus Speakes,
reflecting on the 1951 Moton student strike
Joy Cabarrus
(1939 - 2025)
Born on January 3, 1939, in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Joy Cabarrus Speakes was just 12 years old when she joined more than 450 fellow students in a bold walkout from R.R. Moton High School in Farmville. On April 23, 1951, under the leadership of 16-year-old Barbara Johns, the students protested the severe inequalities in their segregated school, overcrowded classrooms, crumbling buildings, and underfunded programs.
Their strike led to the Davis v. County School Board lawsuit, which became one of five cases combined into Brown v. Board of Education- the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision that declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
Following the closure of public schools in Prince Edward County from 1959 to 1964 as a resistance to integration, Joy’s education was disrupted. Despite these challenges, she completed her schooling and became a dedicated educator and community leader. In later years, Joy helped preserve the legacy of the Moton School, serving on the board of what became the Robert Russa Moton Museum. She also founded the Moton Family Challenge, supporting scholarships and educational outreach.
In August 2018, Joy was recognized for her decade-long volunteer work with the Robert Russa Moton Museum. Joy’s life was marked by her unwavering commitment to education, civil rights, and community service. Her contributions have left a lasting impact on the preservation of civil rights history and the promotion of educational equity.
