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. He is currently the president and CEO of the NAACP. The NAACP is a very old and important civil rights organization. Before this, he led the NAACP's chapter in Mississippi. He also helped lead its board of directors. Mr. Johnson also started a group called One Voice Inc. This group works to make life better for African Americans in Mississippi. They do this by encouraging people to get involved in their communities.
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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. There, he earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor.
Leading the NAACP
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As the leader of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson works closely with the national team. This includes Wisdom Cole, who leads the NAACP Youth & College Division. This division helps young people and college students get involved.
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards celebrate achievements by people of color. At the 2020 awards show, singer Rihanna received a special honor. Derrick Johnson gave her the President's Award. He praised Rihanna for her music, business success, and her work to help others. Johnson said Rihanna shows the kind of character and dedication to justice the award celebrates.
New Vision for the NAACP
The NAACP announced that Derrick Johnson was chosen as president. His job was to help the organization rethink its goals. He was also to help it become stronger. On June 30, 2020, the NAACP shared big news. With support from Mayor Muriel Bowser, they planned to move their main office. It moved from Baltimore to Washington, D.C..
The 2020 Election
In an interview, Derrick Johnson explained something important. The NAACP does not tell people who to vote for in presidential elections. However, when asked about Donald Trump, Johnson shared his opinion. He said he had not seen a president "as bad as Trump." On June 10, 2020, the NAACP held an online meeting. They spoke with former Vice President Joe Biden.
Jimmy Fallon Interview
On June 1, 2020, Derrick Johnson appeared on the Tonight Show. He was interviewed by Jimmy Fallon. During the interview, Fallon apologized for something he did in the past. He had worn "blackface" in an old TV sketch. Johnson said Fallon's apology was brave. He stressed that it's important to be courageous and honest. This is especially true in difficult times. Johnson added that everyone makes mistakes. He said making mistakes is part of growing and learning.
Protecting DACA
On June 18, 2020, a very important court case happened. It was called Trump v. NAACP. The Supreme Court made a big decision. They stopped the government from ending the DACA program. DACA helps young immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. The Supreme Court sided with the NAACP. It was a 5-to-4 decision.
GQ Magazine reported that this was a huge win for the NAACP. Derrick Johnson said it was a "huge victory for us." Johnson explained why the NAACP defended DACA. He said the organization has always spoken up for Black communities. This often includes immigrants.
Facebook: Stop Hate For Profit
In the summer of 2020, the NAACP started a campaign. It was called "Stop Hate For Profit." This campaign focused on Facebook and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg. The NAACP believed Facebook was not doing enough. They felt Facebook allowed hate speech to stay on its platform.
In an interview, Johnson called Facebook "one of the biggest threats to democracy." Later, it was revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were helping the NAACP. Johnson praised them for their leadership.
Johnson also asked companies to stop advertising on Facebook. He was worried about false information spreading on the platform. By July 3, over 750 advertisers joined the boycott. Big companies like Unilever, Coca-Cola, and Starbucks were part of it.
On July 1, 2020, news came out that Zuckerberg would meet with the boycott organizers. The meeting happened on July 7, 2020. However, reports said the meeting did not go well. Derrick Johnson told The New York Times his thoughts. He said Facebook either doesn't understand the harm it causes, or it chooses profit over protecting people.
CBS Studios Partnership
On July 15, 2020, the NAACP and Derrick Johnson announced a new partnership. They made a multi-year deal with CBS Television Studios. This deal meant they would create new TV shows and movies. These projects would focus on stories about the African American experience. They would also highlight diverse artists.
Johnson said this was a great time to tell these stories. He explained that TV shows can change how people think. They can also start important conversations. This partnership with CBS helps the NAACP share these stories with many people.
Meeting with President Biden
Derrick Johnson and other leaders met with President Joe Biden. This meeting happened on July 8, 2021. They talked about the important issue of voting rights. After the meeting, Johnson said he felt "encouraged." He was happy that the President was committed to protecting voting rights.
