By: Elikem Tsikata
Dr. John Stewart Rock was a proficient public speaker, divergent entrepreneur, and a pioneer of various fields for Black Americans. A true master of professions, he would serve as a teacher, dentist, physician, attorney, and abolitionist. Dr. Rock was one of the first Black Americans to receive a medical license, one of the first Black attorneys in the United States, and in 1865 became the first Black attorney admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court.
John S. Rock was born in Salem, New Jersey in 1825 to free Black parents John and Maria Rock. Shortly after excelling in his own secondary education, he became a grammar teacher in Salem public high schools. At a time when many states made it illegal for Black Americans to attempt to learn how to read, Rock’s dedication and leadership in the classroom gained him the respect of his colleagues. From 1844 to 1848, he supplemented his teaching by studying medicine during the evenings. Rock became an apprentice to two white doctors, learning about their treatment methods and working up to 8 hours after a full day of teaching. It was Rock’s goal to become a physician that could treat Black patients in his community. Despite his devotion as a student, no medical school would accept him due to the color of his skin.
His rejection from medical school led Rock to pivot to the study of dentistry. By 1850, the 24-year-old had opened his own dentistry practice in Philadelphia. Rock saw fast success in his craft, but the sustainability of his business was threatened because of the low-income status of his clients. Unwilling to give up on his dream to be a physician, he persevered for admission into medical schools. He was eventually admitted into American Medical College, graduating in 1852. Following Rock’s marriage to Catherine Bowers the same year, the newlyweds moved to Boston. Dr. Rock simultaneously opened a medical practice and dentistry practice. The doctor would use his newfound license to provide free medical care for runaway slaves.
Dr. Rock established himself in Boston not only as a great medical professional but as a gifted speechmaker. He rose to become a revered abolitionist’s leader, with a public speaking style described as robust and persuasive. Dr. Rock vigorously advocated for the abolition of slavery, as well as voting rights for Black Americans. His lectures quickly gained him national recognition, putting him in the company of great abolitionists like Frederick Douglass.
Dr. Rock began having health issues in the mid-1850s. By 1858, his condition forced him to give up both his medical and dentist practices. Rock sought treatment for his illness in Paris, but his application for a passport was denied. The government determined that a passport was evidence of citizenship, which, as decided in the Dred Scott case, was not a status that Black Americans received at this time. Rock’s support in Massachusetts allowed him to receive a state-provided passport, and he received medical treatment in France from 1858-1859. During his time in Europe, he would become nearly fluent in French and German.
Upon his return to the U.S., Dr. Rock continued his abolition lectures. Rested and unflappable, Rock channeled his passion for racial justice and pivoted once again, this time to pursue a legal career. Rock would pass the Massachusetts bar in 1861, become one of the nation’s first Black attorneys. Shortly after, Governor John Andrew appointed him to become a Justice of the Peace for Boston and Suffolk County. The pioneering doctor would dedicate his legal practice to challenging laws that took away from equality and Black freedom. Additionally, he became a Union facilitator and recruiter of Black soldiers during the ongoing Civil War.
Shortly after the conclusion of the Civil War, Dr. Rock would once again stamp his mark on history. On February 1, 1865, the day after the 13th Amendment became law, Senator Charles Sumner introduced a motion to admit John S. Rock to the U.S. Supreme Court. The motion succeeded, and Rock became the first Black attorney admitted to our countries highest court of law. Days later, Dr. Rock was received by the U.S. House of Representatives, again experiencing a first for a Black person in our country. After battling illness for over 10 years, Dr. Rock died of tuberculosis in 1866.
Dr. John S. Rock embodied a titanic entrepreneurial spirit in his 41 years of life. At a time where racial equality was regularly denied, Rock persisted, endured, and excelled in every endeavor he took on. As an orator he was ferocious; as a scholar, he was devoted; and as a professional he was masterful. Dr. Rock’s legacy is that of someone who devoted his life to the betterment of his fellow man, and a fighter for equality during the hardest period in our nation’s history.
Elikem Tsikata, at the time of this post, is a third-year law student at Penn State Dickinson Law. He is a Ghanaian-American from McLean, Virginia, and a graduate of Miami University (OH). Elikem is pursuing a certificate in Entrepreneurship Law with a Transactional concentration. Elikem serves as President of Dickinson Law’s Student Bar Association. He is also a Research Assistant to Professor Samantha Prince.
Sources
https://loc.gov/exhibits/civil-war-in-america/biographies/john-s-rock.html
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/1858-john-s-rock-i-will-sink-or-swim-my-race/
https://nwculaw.edu/john-rock-biography
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/rock-john-s-1825-1866/
https://bestofnj.com/features/monthly-observances/black-history-month/black-history-nj-john-s-rock/
Photo Sources
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/rock-john-s-1825-1866/
https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Inventors_of_African_Descent-27
