John Harris Clay Jr. ’83

Body

John died Nov. 20, 1999. The son of Annie and John Clay, he was born June 7, 1961, and raised in Philadelphia in a large and lively family. He was a member of the Trinity AME Church.

After attending Central H.S. in upstate New York through the Better Chance Program, he entered Princeton and majored in sociology. He was a member of the Gospel Ensemble, the Third World Center, the Organization of Black Unity, and Harambee House.

After graduation, he attended Howard U. School of Law and NYU. John taught in the NYC school district and was working on a book, City of Tranquil Lights, when he died. He is survived by his parents, his grandmother, Elise Jackson, a niece, Kiley, and eight siblings: Stephanie, Lisa, Caretta, Adriane, Mark, Matthew, Aaron, and Andrew. The class extends its deepest sympathies to the family.

The Class of 1983

No responses yet

Join the conversation

Plain text

Full name and Princeton affiliation (if applicable) are required for all published comments. For more information, view our commenting policy. Responses are limited to 500 words for online and 250 words for print consideration.

Paw in print

Image
PAW’s December 2025 cover, with a photo of Michael Park ’98.
The Latest Issue

December 2025

Judge Michael Park ’98; shifts in DEI initiatives; a night at the new art museum.