Life and times of John Stroman

Stroman was born on Nov. 25, 1942, in Orangeburg to Johnetta Maxwell and Moses Clay Stroman. He was raised by his maternal grandparents, John and Emma Maxwell.

Stroman was educated in the public schools of Savannah, Georgia, and graduated from the Beech High School in 1960. John received his bachelor’s degree from South Carolina State College in 1969 and a master’s degree in 1976.

Stroman was the husband of Mary Cox Stroman and they were the parents of Mossi, Zakiyyah and Khaleelah Stroman.

In South Carolina, the name of John Wesley Stroman rings the bell of “civil rights.” This road of life for John began in Savannah in 1960 on St. Patrick’s Day when a white man pushed a black girl and she struck back, jumping on him. All hell broke loose. The Blacks and whites started fighting and disrupted the parade and the police began to put the Blacks into a paddy wagon and hauled them off to jail. Stroman was with that group.

In 1963, he enrolled as a freshman at South Carolina State College in Orangeburg. At that time, the movement developed a little more against the “segregated society.”

During the beginning of 1967, John, along with Joseph Hammond and Benjamin Bryant, started a civil rights organization on the campus of South Carolina State and named it the Student Action Committee. They were very instrumental in turning the wheels of justice at State and in South Carolina.

Their movement became known as “The Cause.” The effort focused on grievances: classes, church service attendance and the school’s decision not to invite back two white Woodrow Wilson professors. They were Thomas Worth of Syracuse, New York, and Anthony Fanning of Middlebury, Connecticut, whose fellowships would expire at the end of the 1967 school year.

As a second-semester freshman student at State, I remember in late February walking to President Benner C. Turner’s house on the campus along with John and some other students to discuss the situation at the college. After a brief discussion, we were told to leave the property.

For this action, Stroman, Hammond and Bryant were all dismissed from the college. For more than a week, some 1,350 undergraduate students at State boycotted classes in protest over the dismissal of the three.

The T&D printed on “March 16, 1967 — 3 State College Students Are Ordered Reinstated — A federal judge Wednesday ordered immediate reinstatement of three students whose dismissal touched off wholesale class boycotting at South Carolina State College, and the threat of a march on the State House.

“The hearing on the merits of the trio’s contention, that school rules under which they were dismissed violate their constitutional rights of free speech and assembly, was set for Orangeburg, location of the state-supported coeducational Negro college.

“Joseph Hammond of Blackville, Benjamin Bryant of Mullins and John W. Stroman of Savannah, Ga., were dismissed Feb. 24th after a demonstration against some college rules by 200 to 300 students on the lawn of the campus home of college President B.C. Turner.”

The most notable event in the life of John was his efforts to integrate the All-Star bowling alley on Russell Street in early February 1968. This led to the “Orangeburg Massacre” that happened on Feb. 8, 1968, on the campus of South Carolina State College. Three students were killed and 28 were injured.

In 1971, John became involved with a resisting-an-officer case in Orangeburg. As a defendant, he represented himself. The T&D reported on Jan. 22, 1971, “Stroman was sentenced to serve two years, suspended upon service of three months, with two years of probation. He immediately gave verbal notice of an appeal for a new trial and was sent to spend the night in the county jail before reappearing in court at 10 a.m. Friday when Judge Spruill said he will fix an appeal bond.”

On Jan. 23, 1971, Judge Spruill set an appeal bond at $1,000. John could not afford that amount and was immediately taken back to the county jail.

Then on Jan. 12, 1975, The T&D printed, “Fired Elloree Teacher Protests — John Stroman, a teacher at the Elloree Elementary School, said Friday he had been notified that; he will not be reinstated in his teaching position at the school.

“He was suspended, he said, Oct. 18 because he objected to teaching a class for which he felt unqualified and also because, according to Stroman; he was accused of not taking his grievances through proper channels. Told that there has been some indication that he is considered a ‘troublemaker,’ Stroman said: I hadn’t heard that that was being said, but if so, if it means that I am someone trying to take care of the students and to make sure tax money goes where it is supposed to go, then yes, I guess I am a trouble maker.”

In 1980, John tossed his hat into the world of politics in Orangeburg. He became a candidate for Orangeburg County Council. In that race, Stroman said, “Home rule could be improved upon by citizens working more closely with their council representatives.”

The T&D printed a story on John on April 15, 1980, “John Stroman Council Candidate — John Wesley Stroman, a school teacher who resides on Edisto Drive, has announced he is a candidate for nomination to the District III seat on County Council in the June Democratic Primary.

“Stroman, who teaches math at Colleton High School in Walterboro, will oppose incumbent Vernon Ott, Jr. of Branchville and former District III Councilman George Gray of Orangeburg.

“A native of Orangeburg, Stroman received his primary and secondary education from the public schools in Savannah, Ga. He holds a bachelor of science in professional chemistry and a master in education from South Carolina State College.

“Stroman taught math and science at Edisto High and Elloree Elementary Schools before going to Walterboro.

“Stroman is currently a member of the NAACP and the Concerned Citizens of District 96.

“He and his wife, Mary, are the parents of two children.”

John was defeated by Vernon Ott. Stroman earned 369 votes and Ott garnered 880 votes.

Then in February 1994, Stroman wrote a letter to the editor of The T&D — “February memorial service one of the best — Dear Editor — Yes, you really missed a wonderful Feb. 8 program in memory of the three black males who were killed the night of Feb. 8, 1968. It was one of the best in the last 22 years.

“This year was the first time in a long time that tears came into my eyes, since the first service. These tears were tears of joy.”

In 1996, Stroman put his hat in the political ring again when he filed to run for both the County Board District 6 seat and the Consolidated District 5 seat. He could run for both seats but would have to resign one if he won the two positions. He did not win in either election.

This was Stroman’s last attempt to run for a political office or position in Orangeburg County. He then focused his efforts on improvements in the Edisto Drive community.

On April 19, 2000, The T&D printed, “Stroman sees unity in Drive effort — Stroman said, the neighborhood, both black and white residents, have become one. That has been evident, not only in the fight for sewer, but also in an effort to solve a traffic light problem and to maintain the community’s historic name as well.”

To give honor to the hard work that John conducted over the years, in June 2010, the Edisto Drive community decided to rename the old Blue Light Cafe as The John W. Stroman Senior Citizen Center.

This became a location where seniors would be able to congregate, enjoy activities and serve as mentors to a younger population.

Then, The T&D printed an article on May 6, 2015, “County seeks changes after Stroman Center complaints — Orangeburg County is going to suggest changes at the John W. Stroman Senior Center after receiving complaints that it has been without fiscal oversight and accountability for four years.

“Reached by phone Tuesday, Stroman declined comment on the matter, noting he is going to have surgery this week.

“’My mind is not on any of that stuff,’ he said. Stroman said, he’s heard the allegations before. ‘I will let them do what they’ve got to do,’ he said.”

On Nov. 2, 2018, The T&D printed an article titled, “Senior center sign gone. A sign was placed outside the John Stroman Senior Center on Oct. 16, recognizing the contributions of the late Orangeburg County Councilman Clyde Livingston in the creation of the center.

“Three days later, the sign was gone, according to the Rev. Arnold Ray. Now Ray is asking that whoever took the sign to replace it.

The name of The John W. Stroman Senior Citizens Center was removed from the building and today, the structure is called The Edisto Drive Senior Citizens Center.

The last time that I saw John was on Feb. 8, 2024, at the MLK Auditorium on the campus of South Carolina State University during the annual program of the “Orangeburg Massacre.” At the end of the event, I tried to assist him in getting transportation to Memorial Plaza where the event ended. Sadly speaking, he did not make the final portion of the program.

To my knowledge, John Stroman attended all of the 55 years of the Feb. 8 memorial services on the campus of South Carolina State.

The name of John Wesley Stroman will continue to live in our community all due in fact to his efforts to help improve the social lives of the people living here.

For his works, we say, “Thanks.”