Derrick Johnson (activist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Derrick Johnson
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| President and CEO of the NAACP | |
| Assumed office October 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Cornell William Brooks |
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| Born | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Education | Tougaloo College (BA) South Texas College of Law (JD) |
Derrick Johnson is an American lawyer who leads the NAACP as its President and CEO. The NAACP is a very old and important civil rights organization in the United States. Before becoming the national leader, he was in charge of the NAACP's chapter in Mississippi. He also helped lead its board of directors.
Johnson also started a group called One Voice Inc. in Mississippi. This group works to make life better for African Americans by encouraging them to get involved in their communities.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Derrick Johnson was born in Detroit, a big city in Michigan. He went to Tougaloo College for his first degree. After that, he studied law at the South Texas College of Law and became a lawyer.
Leading the NAACP
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As the leader of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson works with many people across the country. This includes the team that helps young people and college students get involved in the NAACP.
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards celebrate the achievements of people of color in movies, music, literature, and other areas. At the 2020 awards show, Derrick Johnson gave the President's Award to the famous singer and businesswoman Rihanna.
He said that Rihanna is not only a great artist but also a wonderful public servant. He praised her for her successful businesses, like Fenty, and her amazing work as an activist and helper. Johnson said Rihanna shows the kind of character and dedication to fairness that the award celebrates.
New Vision for the NAACP
The NAACP announced that Derrick Johnson was chosen to lead the organization into a new era. They wanted him to help the NAACP become even stronger and more active.
In 2020, the NAACP decided to move its main office from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.. This move had the support of Washington D.C.'s Mayor, Muriel Bowser.
Views on the 2020 Election
In an interview, Derrick Johnson explained that the NAACP does not tell people who to vote for in presidential elections. However, he shared his personal opinion about Donald Trump, saying he had not seen a president he thought was "as bad as Trump."
The NAACP also held an online meeting in June 2020 with former Vice President Joe Biden. This allowed people to hear from him and ask questions.
Interview with Jimmy Fallon
On June 1, 2020, Derrick Johnson appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. During the interview, Jimmy Fallon apologized for something he did a long time ago on Saturday Night Live. He had worn makeup to make his face look darker, which is called blackface.
Fallon said that staying silent about unfairness is a big mistake. He stressed that people need to speak up and say "That's not OK." Derrick Johnson responded by saying Fallon's apology was brave. He added that it's important for people to be honest about their feelings and experiences. Johnson also said that everyone makes mistakes, and that's part of growing and learning.
DACA and the Supreme Court
In June 2020, the NAACP won a big case in the Supreme Court. This case, called Trump v. NAACP, was about a program called DACA. DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It helps young immigrants who came to the U.S. as children to live and work here without fear of being sent away.
The Supreme Court decided that the Trump administration could not end the DACA program. This was a 5-to-4 decision in favor of the NAACP. Derrick Johnson said this was a "huge victory" for the NAACP and for young immigrants. He explained that the NAACP supported DACA because it helps Black communities, including immigrants.
Fighting Hate on Facebook
In the summer of 2020, the NAACP started a campaign called "Stop Hate For Profit." This campaign aimed to get Facebook and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, to remove hate speech from their platform.
Derrick Johnson said on TV that Facebook was "one of the biggest threats to democracy." He believed Facebook was not doing enough to stop harmful messages. Even Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, supported this campaign. Johnson praised them for their leadership.
He also told Forbes magazine that Facebook was hurting its own reputation by allowing hateful content. He urged other companies to join the boycott and stop advertising on Facebook. By July 2020, over 750 companies had joined the boycott, including big names like Unilever, Coca-Cola, Ford, and Starbucks.
Mark Zuckerberg agreed to meet with the leaders of the boycott. However, after the meeting, Derrick Johnson said it "didn't go well." He felt that Facebook did not understand how much harm their platform was causing, or they chose to make money instead of protecting people.
Partnership with CBS Studios
In July 2020, the NAACP and Derrick Johnson announced a new partnership with CBS Television Studios. This deal means they will work together to create and produce TV shows, documentaries, and other projects.
The goal is to share more stories about the experiences of African Americans. This partnership will help more Black artists and creators share their voices. The shows could appear on CBS channels or even on other platforms like Netflix.
Derrick Johnson said that now is a great time to tell these important stories. He believes that TV shows and movies can help people understand important issues and start conversations.
Meeting with President Biden
Derrick Johnson and other leaders met with President Joe Biden on July 8, 2021. They talked about the important issue of voting rights. After the meeting, Johnson said he felt hopeful because the President seemed very committed to protecting voting rights.
