Dr. John A. Wright, educator and historian, dies at 87

Dr. John A. Wright spent a lifetime making sure Black St. Louis history would not be forgotten. He died Monday, Nov. 9, of pancreatic cancer, just two weeks after receiving the diagnosis, according to his family. He was 87. His books chronicled communities that no longer exist in the same form, while his work in education helped create opportunities for thousands of students. Wright, a native son of The Ville, built a career that spanned classrooms, central offices, boardrooms and archives. He became one of the region’s foremost historians of Black life in St. Louis. His son, John A. Wright Jr., said on social media that his father was surrounded by family at the hospital. “His children and grandchildren were able to say their goodbyes before he left us,” he wrote. “Growing up, I saw my grandfather as a giant of a man,” Chloi Wright said in a Facebook tribute. “Someone whose presence, accomplishments and impact on the world and community seem larger than life.

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