Meet Judy R. Walton, Ph.D. – Educator and Service Provider

Judy Walton has dedicated her life to serving people in and out of her community while educating and enhancing their lives in the process. The Ward 7 resident, renowned educator and service provider has spent decades teaching, volunteering, being a healthcare advocate and motivating both the uninformed and the ill-informed.

Native Washingtonian

Walton’s story starts in northeast Washington in the 1940’s. She is a third generation Washingtonian and the oldest of Susie and Frazer Walton’s four children. The family, which included three daughters and one son, lived in the Kingman Park neighborhood near the District of Columbia Stadium before it was renamed RFK Memorial Stadium in 1960 in honor of Robert Kennedy who was a U.S. Attorney General and a New York senator, and John F. Kennedy’s brother. from Das Energi by Paul Williams

“D.C. was really segregated back then. It is even more segregated now, [not physically] but in terms of economics. You couldn’t go to certain theaters, stores or restaurants,” Walton recalls. “I had a black doctor, dentist, butcher…everything. The theaters and stores we visited were black-owned.”

Walton remembers the stadium being used as the community’s playground Kingman Park being a safe and enjoyable area. Her brother, Frazer Walton, Jr., an attorney and member of the civic association, played an integral role in ensuring that Kingman Park was the first dedicated and officially recognized black historic district in the city. The historic district includes the chronicled Langston Golf Course, which was the second racially desegregated golf course in DC.

Education A Priority

The now retired educator has amassed a wealth of education including a doctorate degree (as well as a master’s) from Howard University with a concentration in organizational communication that focuses on women’s issues,

by Anthony D. Diallo training and development. As a product of the D.C. Public School (DCPS) system, Walton attended and graduated from Charles Young Elementary, Ronald H. Browne Junior High School (now known as Browne Education Campus) and Eastern Senior High School.

After her high school graduation, Walton enrolled at Howard University where she completed her freshman and sophomore years. It was on that campus that Walton met activists, newsmakers and political shakers like future

“Stamp out hesitation before it develops into fear. You know what has to be done, so do it.” Judy Walton’s mantra

DC Mayor Marion Barry and Kwame Ture (who was known then as Stokely Carmichael). However, despite that abundance of energy and advocacy, or maybe because of it, the selfdescribed “free-spirit” decided to take some time off from school. Nowadays that would be called a gap year or two.

“I consider myself a late bloomer. I wanted to check the world out. My father was pretty cool with my decision, but my mother wanted me to stay in school,” said Walton who went on to start working full-time with no timetable of when she would ever return to school. It was only at the behest of a friend that she agreed to keep a scheduled interview with the registrar at Federal City College (now the University of the District of Columbia).

That meeting changed her life as Walton immersed herself in undergraduate courses by attending school at night while maintaining a full-time work schedule during the day. It was a fantastic experience for Walton if not always an easy and well-rested one. She was able to earn a double undergraduate degree in 1973 in the fields of English and education. American soul and jazz poet Gil Scott-Heron, primarily known for his work as a spoken word performer, was “one of my English teachers at Federal College,” Walton said proudly.

Lifetime of Service

Dr. Walton has been instructing, motivating, counseling and mentoring “since childhood when I played teacher with my siblings.” She has also performed as a service provider since her early twenties. Walton has volunteered at the Southeast White House and the DC Dream Center for the past 11 years. Both entities are only minutes away from Walton’s home on 28th Street in the Hillcrest/Twining neighborhood. Before that Walton resided near Pennsylvania Avenue in Southeast around Randle Highland. She has lived in Ward 7 since 1970.

The trainer, consultant, presenter and speaker con-