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Sikes was born in Isabella, Georgia, a small town near Sylvester in Worth County, Georgia. He graduated from public schools before attending the University of Georgia, where he received a B.S. in 1927, then went on to earn an M.S. in English from the University of Florida in 1929.

In [[1933]] Sikes began work as a newspaper editor in [[Valparaiso]]. He went on to publish a weekly newspaperin [[Crestview]], the ''[[Okaloosa News-Journal]]'', and in [[1937]] served as president of the Florida Press Association. His publishing career would last until [[1946]]. It was during this time that he held his first political office, in the Florida House of Representatives, from [[1936]] until [[1940]].