John Johnson (reporter) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Johnson
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Johnson in 1995
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| Born | June 20, 1938 New York City, U.S.
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| Education | B.A. City College of NY
M.A. City College of NY Honorary Doctorate St. Thomas Aquinas College |
| Alma mater | City College of New York |
| Occupation | Documentary filmmaker, television correspondent/anchorman, Artist (canvas painting), author |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 4 (as of 1996) |
John Johnson (born June 20, 1938) is an American television anchorman, senior correspondent, documentary filmmaker, and visual artist. He was a well-known reporter on New York City television news for many years.
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Early Life and Education
John Johnson was born in New York City on June 20, 1938. He grew up in the neighborhoods of Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant. He studied art at the City College of New York. His original plan was to become an art teacher. After college, he became a professor of fine art. He taught at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.
Television News Career
John Johnson joined ABC News in 1968. He became the first African American documentary producer, director, and writer at a major TV network. He was recognized for his documentaries like Welfare Game and Strangers in Their Own Land: The Puerto Ricans. He also became one of the first black filmmakers in the important Directors Guild of America.
Reporting on Major Events
Johnson then became a network correspondent. He covered many important stories. One major event he reported on was the Attica Prison riot in 1971. This was a serious prison uprising where many people, including prisoners and officers, lost their lives. Johnson was inside the prison during the event. He saw state officials make false claims about what happened. He refused to report these untrue stories. He only reported what he had seen with his own eyes. This showed his strong commitment to telling the truth.
Joining WABC-TV
In 1972, Johnson started working at WABC in New York City. He helped create the new Eyewitness News format there. This format was special because it had a diverse team of reporters. Johnson described it as "a news team that was a microcosm of America." It included black, white, Jewish, and Latino reporters. This made the news team very popular with viewers.
Senior Correspondent and Global Reporting
In the late 1980s, Johnson sometimes anchored the 6 p.m. newscast. He later returned to his role as a senior correspondent. In this role, he covered many big international stories. He reported on Nelson Mandela's release from prison in South Africa. He also covered Mandela's election as president. Johnson reported from the first Gulf War and the Bosnian War. He was one of the first reporters to arrive with American troops during the Unified Task Force mission in Somalia. One of his last assignments at WABC was reporting on the O. J. Simpson murder case in 1994-1995.
Moving to Other Stations
Johnson left WABC in March 1995. He then became a co-anchor at WCBS in June of that year. He anchored the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. He stayed at WCBS until October 1996, when he left the station. Soon after, he joined WNBC with his former co-anchor Michele Marsh. They anchored the station's new noon newscast. After about a year, Johnson left WNBC to care for his father. He did not return to television news after that.
Awards and Recognition
During his 30-year career in television news, John Johnson won many awards. He received nine Emmys. He also earned many other honors as a reporter, producer, writer, and director.
Author and Painter
After his long career in television, John Johnson returned to his passion for art. He had been an associate professor and chairman of the Arts Department at Lincoln University before his TV career.
Autobiography
In 2002, Johnson published his autobiography titled Only Son: A Memoir. The book became very popular in China. It was published there in a Chinese language edition. In his book, Johnson shares stories about his childhood in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant. The book is seen as an impressive story of strength and determination.
Artistic Work
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After leaving broadcasting, Johnson focused on his painting again. He has shown his paintings in important places. These include The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Walter Wickiser Gallery in Manhattan.
Media Appearances
John Johnson has appeared in several films and documentaries. He played himself in movies like Cop Land and 54. He was also featured in the award-winning documentary Eyes on the Prize. In 2021, he was part of another documentary called Attica. This film was nominated for an Oscar.
Personal Life
John Johnson was previously married to journalist E. Jean Carroll. As of 1996, he had four children. As of 2021, he is married to Ann Yih Johnson.
