Yvonne Johnson

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Yvonne Johnson

| image =

| order =

| office = Mayor of Greensboro, North Carolina

| term_start = December 2007

| term_end = December 2009

| predecessor = Keith Holliday

| successor = Bill Knight

| birth_date = {{birth date|1942|10|26}}

| birth_place = Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|12|04|1942|10|26}}

| death_place =

| alma_mater = Bennett College (BA)
North Carolina A&T State University (MS)

| profession = Educator

| residence =

| spouse = Walter Johnson

| religion =

| party = Democratic

}}

Yvonne Johnson (October 26, 1942 – December 4, 2024) was an American politician who was the mayor of Greensboro, North Carolina, from 2007 until 2009. She was previously a member of the Greensboro City Council for 14 years, beginning in 1993 and Mayor Pro-Tem for 6 years. Johnson was the first African-American to serve as Greensboro's mayor.{{cite web|url=http://wunc.org/tsot/archive/sot1210a07.mp3/view |title=The State of Things |publisher=WUNC |date=2015-08-19 |access-date=2017-08-20}}

Life

Johnson grew up in Greensboro, and experienced segregation from a young age. She was a Girl Scout{{Cite web |date=2017-08-23 |title=At-large: Yvonne Johnson (i) |url=https://greensboro.com/at-large-yvonne-johnson-i/article_780e141e-d238-589e-9303-6ac3b96162d3.html |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Greensboro News and Record |language=en}} and attended Bennett College,{{Cite web |last=Melcher |first=Gale |date=2023-02-08 |title=Greensboro City Council, explained |url=https://triad-city-beat.com/greensboro-city-council-explained/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Triad City Beat |language=en}} where she became involved in civil rights activism.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-05 |title=Yvonne Johnson, the first Black mayor of North Carolina's third-largest city, has died |url=https://apnews.com/article/greensboro-north-carolina-yvonne-johnson-black-8ebca68eaa886ddd2a96919961e89056 |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=AP News |language=en}} She participated in sit-ins, once being incarcerated for three days following a demonstration,{{Cite book |last=Jovanovic |first=Spoma |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Expression_in_Contested_Public_Spaces/bcI6EAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=yvonne+johnson+greensboro&pg=PA72&printsec=frontcover |title=Expression in Contested Public Spaces: Free Speech and Civic Engagement |date=2021-08-06 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-7936-3094-0 |pages=72 |language=en}} and walked in the 1963 March on Washington. She graduated from Bennett in 1964,{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2018-04-06 |title=Bennett Belles have storied history of activism, leadership |url=https://www.bennett.edu/inside/bennett-belles-have-storied-history-of-activism-leadership/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Bennett College |language=en-US}} and went on to earn a master's degree in guidance and counseling from North Carolina A&T.

In 1982, Johnson became the leader of local non-profit One Step Further, a United Way Agency in Greensboro that provides mediation and court alternative programs to Greensboro's youth. She served as their executive director until early 2024. Johnson also worked as a workshop facilitator, focusing on topics of diversity and racism.{{Cite book |last=Hairston |first=Otis L. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Greensboro_North_Carolina/thln5h9G2t4C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=yvonne+johnson+greensboro&pg=PA20&printsec=frontcover |title=Greensboro North Carolina |date=2003 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-1525-0 |pages=20 |language=en}}

Johnson joined the Greensboro City Council in 1993, serving until 2007; she was Mayor Pro-Tem of the council from 2001 until 2007. She was the first African-American woman to hold the Mayor Pro-Tem position. As a city council member, she supported the establishment of a civil rights museum in Greensboro's Woolworth's, site of the Greensboro sit-ins,{{Cite news |last=Burritt |first=Chris |date=2000-11-05 |title=Greensboro is voting on civil rights museum |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SdFOAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA10&dq=yvonne+johnson+greensboro&article_id=6836,1326063&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvsK_1wJGKAxXujIkEHSV3AvkQ6AF6BAgOEAI#v=onepage&q=yvonne%20johnson%20greensboro&f=false |work=Star-News |pages=3B |agency=Cox News Service}} and the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated the events of the 1979 Greensboro massacre.{{Cite news |last=Whitmire |first=Tim |date=2005-10-01 |title=Klan shootings still haunt town |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UTEzAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA5&dq=yvonne+johnson+greensboro&article_id=3628,35877&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvsK_1wJGKAxXujIkEHSV3AvkQ6AF6BAgMEAI#v=onepage&q=yvonne%20johnson%20greensboro&f=false |work=The Free Lance-Star |agency=Associated Press}}

From 2007 to 2009, she served as mayor of Greensboro, North Carolina, becoming the first African-American to serve as Greensboro's mayor. Johnson lost her reelection bid in 2009 to Republican political newcomer Bill Knight. In 2011, she ran for election again, this time for an at-large city council seat, having garnered the most votes of any candidate in the October 2011 city primary.[http://www.yvonnejohnson4citycouncil.com Johnson for Council official website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111122201238/http://www.yvonnejohnson4citycouncil.com |date=November 22, 2011 }} In the November 2011 election, Johnson won the majority of the at-large vote, reclaiming her city council position of Mayor Pro-Tem.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

In February 2010, the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance (GEDA) awarded her with the Stanley Frank Lifetime Achievement Award. Johnson served on the board of directors for Malachi House and was the Women's Resource Center's first president. She also served on boards for Greensboro Housing Coalition, Foster Friends, Sports Dreams and the Greensboro Arts Council.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Personal life and death

Johnson was married to Walter Johnson, who is an attorney; they had four children.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}} She was a member of the Episcopal church.

Johnson died on December 4, 2024, at the age of 82.{{Cite web |last=Stratta |first=Peter |date=2024-12-04 |title=Former Greensboro mayor, city council member Yvonne Johnson dead at 82 |url=https://abc45.com/news/local/former-greensboro-mayor-city-council-member-yvonne-johnson-dead-at-82-local-politics-northcarolina |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=WXLV |language=en}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20080420045525/http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/citygovernment/council/johnson.htm Greensboro Mayor] official government website
[http://www.yvonnejohnsonformayor.com/ Yvonne Johnson] campaign website
[http://wunc.org/tsot/archive/sot1210a07.mp3/view North Carolina Public Radio interview] December 10, 2007
[http://www.greensboroeda.com greensboroeda.com 2/2010]
[http://www.news-record.com 10/21/07, article "Steel Magnolias"]
[http://www.yesweekly.com yesweekly.com 11-1-09]

Category:1942 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:20th-century African-American politicians

Category:20th-century African-American women politicians

Category:20th-century American women politicians

Category:20th-century North Carolina politicians

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:21st-century African-American women politicians

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:21st-century mayors of places in North Carolina

Category:African-American city council members in North Carolina

Category:African-American mayors in North Carolina