Opening Doors to a Wider World

Dr. John Wright’s transformational gift to, and from, The Salvation Army

Growing up in segregated St. Louis, Dr. John Wright remembers a time when opportunities were limited and lines were clearly drawn. Yet just one block inside an integrated zone on St. Louis Avenue stood a place that welcomed everyone—The Salvation Army.

For Dr. Wright, the St. Louis Avenue Corps (which today is akin to our Euclid Corps) was more than a building. It was a safe harbor where Black and white children could gather together for music, scouting, worship, sports and friendship at a time when most of the city remained divided. “The Salvation Army was one of the few places where kids could come together,” he recalls. “It opened the world to me.”

Through the Corps, Dr. Wright joined the band, attended The Salvation Army’s Camp Mihaska in Bourbon, Missouri, and participated in youth programs that shaped his confidence and character. In 1956, at just 16 years old, he was selected to represent The Salvation Army’s Central Territory at The International Corps Cadet Congress—an experience that forever changed his life. He was the first African-American to attend the Congress, and traveling overseas required a an unforgettable nine-day trip. Dr. Wright had the opportunity to meet young people engaged in The Salvation Army across the globe. It expanded his vision and helped him see a world defined not by barriers, but by shared humanity.

Those formative experiences helped set the course for a lifetime of leadership and service. Dr. Wright went on to become an educator, superintendent, author, and respected civic leader, earning dozens of accolades throughout his career. He credits The Salvation Army with helping him understand the power of openness, inclusion, and faith lived out through action. “When you see people working their faith in action,” he says, “it makes all the difference.” Today, Dr. Wright helps ensure that each of his grandchildren has the same opportunity to travel overseas and experience the world.

In gratitude for the role The Salvation Army played during his most impressionable years, Dr. Wright has chosen to include the organization in his estate plans. His planned gift is a way of giving back to the place that gave him an immeasurable gift—opportunity, belonging, and a broader view of the world. “The Salvation Army had an impact on me when it mattered most,” he explains. “So it’s time to do something – to give back.”

Dr. Wright’s legacy gift ensures that future generations of children will continue to find hope, opportunity, and welcome through The Salvation Army, just as he did. His story is a powerful reminder that when The Salvation Army opens its doors, lives are changed—and legacies are built.