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Olivia P. Stokes

1916–2002

United States

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Biography

Olivia Pearl Stokes (January 11, 1916 – May 24, 2002) was a religious educator, ordained Baptist minister, author, administrator, and civil rights activist. As the first African American woman to receive a doctorate in religious education, Stokes was a pioneer in her field dedicated to empowering disenfranchised and underrepresented groups. A majority of her work reflects her primary role as a religious educator, her commitment to develop leadership training, and her efforts to eliminate negative stereotypes of women and African Americans.

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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