Peter M. Johnson facts for kids

Peter M. Johnson was born on November 29, 1966. He is a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He made history as the first African-American General Authority in the Church.

Peter Johnson grew up in Queens, New York City. When he was a teenager, he enjoyed rapping at parties and school events. Around age 12, he learned about the Muslim faith.

Moving to Hawaii and Discovering Faith

When Peter was 14, his mother moved them to Hawaii. There, he played basketball and later earned a scholarship to Brigham Young University–Hawaii. He met missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A professor also encouraged him to learn more about the Church.

The next year, he moved to Dixie State College in Utah, where he kept playing basketball. After his first year at Dixie State, he returned to Hawaii and was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After his second year at Dixie State, Peter served as a missionary for the Church in Alabama.

Education and Basketball Achievements

Peter attended Southern Utah University (SUU). He earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree in accounting. He was a star player on the SUU basketball team, scoring 753 points in total. He was even named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 1990–91 season.

After graduating in 1992, he started working as an accountant for a company called Grant Thornton International in Salt Lake City.

Career as a Professor

After working in accounting for a while, Peter decided to become a professor. He earned his Ph.D. in accounting from Arizona State University. He then taught at BYU–Hawaii.

Teaching at Universities

In 2003, Peter joined the accounting team at Brigham Young University. In 2011, he became a professor at the University of Alabama. While there, he taught accounting classes to both undergraduate and graduate students. He also worked to promote diversity and inclusion within the business college. Peter studied how companies report their finances and how their value is determined.

Church Service and Leadership

Peter M. Johnson has held many important roles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Early Church Roles

He served as a financial clerk for a stake (a group of congregations). He was also a leader for the Young Men's organization and a ward mission leader. He even served as a counselor in a bishopric (a local leadership group).

Becoming a Stake President

In 2013, Peter was called to be the president of the Bessemer Alabama Stake. This was a special moment because he was the first black man to serve as a stake president in Alabama.

General Authority Seventy

In 2018, Peter was called as an area seventy. Then, in April 2019, he became a General Authority Seventy. This means he is a senior leader in the Church who serves members all over the world.

Some news reports mistakenly said he was the first "black" high-ranking leader. However, other black leaders from different countries, like Brazil, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, had served before him. Peter Johnson is the first African-American to be called to this position.

General Conference Talk

In October 2019, Peter Johnson gave a talk at the Church's worldwide General Conference. His talk was titled "Power to Overcome the Adversary." It was a significant event, as it was the first talk by an African-American at a modern General Conference.

Mission President in England

In January 2020, the Church announced that Peter Johnson would begin serving as the president of the England Manchester Mission in July 2020. As a mission president, he leads and guides missionaries who are sharing the Church's message.

Family Life

In 1990, Peter Johnson married Stephanie Lyn Chadwick. Stephanie also played college basketball. They have four children together. Their daughters, Kiana and Whitney, both played college basketball. At one point, they both played on the SUU team, just like their father.