By: Michelle Jones, Follow South Jersey Community Journalist
SALEM, N.J. – Salem County does not lack a history of influential men and women, and Dr. John Stewart Rock is no exception. What is an exception is the fact that he was a Black man in South Jersey at a time when slavery in the South was still thriving.
Born in Elsinboro, Salem County, in 1826 into a free Black family, Rock was an extraordinarily smart youth who had a great appetite for education. He studied at the school the Salem City Colony of Quakers founded for Black children. Rock would eventually become headmaster of the school.
It wasn’t long before Rock developed an interest in medicine and apprenticed under Salem City dentist Dr. Samuel Harbert. By the age of 22, Rock opened his dental practice and also embarked on a public speaking career. He was known for his passionate speeches on racial divides and the abolition of slavery.
Eventually Rock would move to Philadelphia, complete his medical studies, and open a practice in the city. However, that would be short lived as he decided to relocate to Boston. Yet his time there would be short as his health began to fail. Interestingly, even with failing health Rock decided to pursue law and passed the bar in Massachusetts in 1861. By 1865 he was the first African American man able to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States.
No one knows what more Rock could have achieved in his life as he died at the young age of 44. However Salem and beyond can be influenced by his drive and ability to achieve his goals at a time in American history where that would have seemed nearly impossible.
All of this information and more including his writings can be found in the book, John Stewart Rock: Teacher, Counselor, Salem, NJ: Salem County Historical Society, 2002, 82 , written by J. Harlan Buzby. This book is located in the Salem County History museum.
The Salem County History Museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 12pm-4pm. The admission is $5 per person, or $35 for an annual member’s pass. You can even schedule a private tour of the collection at no additional cost! The museum is located at 83 Market Street in Salem City New Jersey. For additional information please feel free to call 856-935-5004 or visit their website at http://www.salemcountyhistoricalsociety.com
History lovers can also research Rock and other local historical figures on the Salem County Culture and Heritage website at https://culture.salemcountynj.gov/the-great-orator-dr-john-stewart-rock/ where much of the information for this article was referenced.
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