Josie R. Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josie R. Johnson
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| Born | October 7, 1930  |
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| Occupation | Academic administrator |
Josie Robinson Johnson (born October 7, 1930) is an American community organizer and activist. She has worked for African American rights throughout her life. Many people call her the "First Lady of Minnesota Civil Rights." She played a key role in passing a fair housing law in Minnesota in 1962. Johnson was also the first Black person to join the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. She has always fought for fairness in housing, education, and voting rights.
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Early Life and Education
Josie Robinson was born in San Antonio, Texas, on October 7, 1930. She grew up in Houston, Texas. As a child, she worked at her grandmother's pharmacy. Johnson learned about justice from her family. She described her family as "wonderfully strong, hard-working, independent women."
As a teenager, Josie and her father went door-to-door. They gathered signatures for a petition against a poll tax. A poll tax was a fee people had to pay to vote. She also helped her mother tutor white women who could not read.
Johnson studied at Fisk University and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1951. There, she met her husband, Charles W. Johnson. In 1956, they moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. They had three daughters. Josie also earned two master's degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
What Was Her Activism Like?
After moving to Minnesota, Josie Johnson became a community organizer. She worked for the local office of the National Urban League. She also became active in the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. In the 1960s, Johnson began fighting against unfair housing rules. She worked with other activists like Katie McWatt.
Johnson was an officer in the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP. This group works for the rights of Black people. She also held a position in Jack and Jill of America. This organization helps improve life for children. Johnson worked with the League of Women Voters in Minnesota. They helped set up Fair Employment Practice Commissions. These commissions worked to stop unfair hiring practices. She was the first Black woman to be appointed to the National Board of the League of Women Voters.
Fighting for Fair Housing Laws
Josie Johnson was very good at working behind the scenes in politics. In 1961, she spent every day at the State Capitol building. She was trying to get a fair housing bill passed. When the bill got stuck in a state Senate committee, she visited Governor Elmer Andersen. With the governor's help, the bill moved forward. It became the first state fair housing bill passed in the United States. This was a huge step forward for equal rights.
Joining National Civil Rights Efforts
In August 1963, Johnson led the Minnesota group for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This was a very important event in the Civil Rights Movement. She also traveled to Mississippi in 1964. She went with a group of women called Wednesdays in Mississippi. They were part of the Freedom Summer campaign. This campaign helped civil rights workers and Black families. The group Johnson was with visited a freedom school. This school was bombed later that same day.
In 1968, she worked for Mayor Arthur Naftalin in Minneapolis. She helped connect the mayor's office with the community. This was a time when there were many racial tensions in the city. U.S. Senator Walter Mondale described Johnson's work. He said she was a top civil rights leader in Minnesota. He noted that she was kind but also very determined to get things done.
Johnson also took on important political roles outside Minnesota. She worked for the lieutenant governor of Colorado from 1975 to 1978. In 1980, she was a deputy campaign manager for President Jimmy Carter's re-election campaign.
Activism in Education
In the late 1960s and 1970s, Johnson focused on improving education. From 1971 to 1973, she was the first African American member of the Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota. This board helps lead the university. In 1973, students protested the Vietnam War. Johnson spoke to the crowd. She told students to keep working for change in society.
She helped start the African American Studies department at the University of Minnesota. She was also one of its first teachers. She taught a class about Black families in America. In the 1980s, Johnson joined the university's college of education. She also worked at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. From 1990 to 1992, she was the diversity director for the All-University Forum. In 1992, she became the associate vice president for academic affairs. In this role, she led the university's efforts to be more diverse. She retired from the university in 1996.
Continuing Her Fight for Justice
In 2008, Johnson was a superdelegate for Minnesota. She voted for Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention. She has also served on the board of trustees for the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
Even in her late 80s, Josie Johnson remained active in politics. She participated in Black Lives Matter protests. She also urged for reforms. After the 2020 murder of George Floyd, she spoke about the history of the protests. She explained how they were part of the ongoing fight for equal opportunities for African Americans.
Awards and Legacy
Josie Johnson has received many awards for her work. These include the Committed to the Vision Award from the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department. She also received the African American Community Endowment Fund Award.
In 1997, the University of Minnesota created the Josie Robinson Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice Award. This award honors her work.
In 2018, the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs started the Josie Robinson Johnson Fellowship. This fellowship helps students who focus on racial unfairness and injustice. That same year, civil rights leader Vernon Jordan praised Johnson. He said she was like the Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman of our time. This shows how important her work has been.
Her book, Hope in the Struggle, was published in 2019. It shares stories from her life and work. It also talks about the history of race in the Twin Cities.
