John Henry Stanford, Former Army General And Seattle's First Black School Superintendent, Dies

Jet, Dec 14, 1998

John Henry Stanford, the first Black Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, recently died after a battle with leukemia. He was 60.

A native of Yeadon, PA, he graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in political science. He later earned a master's degree in personnel management and administration from Central Michigan University.

He became the first Black to serve as Superintendent of the Seattle Public Schools in September 1995.

He was credited with energizing the school system by boosting student performance, raising standards for high school graduation as well as establishing innovative programs to promote reading in the city's elementary schools. He also joined forces with the business community to help push for academic excellence in the school system.

Seattle Gov. Gary Locke praised Stanford's leadership and commitment to excellence. "John Stanford was a creative and thoughtful educational leader and one of the best things that ever happened to Seattle public schools," Locke said.

Stanford enjoyed a 30-year stellar career as an officer in the United States Army. He held the rank of major general and was director of plans, programs and policy of the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.

He also served in the Pentagon as military assistant to the UnderSecretary of the Army during the Carter Administration (1977-1979); executive assistant to the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (1981) and special assistant and executive secretary during the Reagan Administration to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger (1981-1984).

Stanford's military education includes the Infantry School, the Army Aviation School, the Transportation School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Prior to coming to Seattle, he served as Fulton County (GA) manager where he managed an employee force of more than 5,000 and oversaw a budget of approximately a half-billion dollars.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia, two sons, Steven and Scott; and sisters, Cecile Stanford Williams of Yeadon, PA, and Carolyn Stanford Adams of Miami, FL.

A public memorial service was scheduled at the University of Washington in Seattle at JET press time.

A burial ceremony was set at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA at JET press time.