He was the 1st African American president of Howard University, Washington, D.C.
1926 - 1960
He was also a distinguished and respected speaker, an established educator, and a member of the clergy. He traveled extensively over the years speaking about the problems of racial discrimination and its effects on America.
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Henry County - Paris,TN - History
Mordecai Wyatt Johnson (January 12, 1890 – September 10, 1976) - Paris, in Henry County, was the birthplace of Mordecai Johnson, the first African-American president of a university in the United States. Johnson served as the president of Howard University in Washington D.C. from 1926 until 1960. Mordecai Johnson Johnson was born on January 12, 1890, in Paris, Tennessee. His parents were former slaves, his father was Reverend Wyatt J. Johnson and Carolyn Freeman (a preacher and mill worker) and his mother was a domestic worker for one of the prominent families in town. Mordecai studied primary school in a small elementary school in his native town. After it, he moved to Nashville where studied at Roger Williams University, then Memphis at Howe Institute in Memphis.Johnson received his B.A. from Morehouse College in 1911, and second bachelor of arts degree from the University of Chicago two years later. He studied at several other institutions of higher education, including the Rochester Theological Seminary, Harvard University, Howard University, and the Gammon Theological Seminary.On June 26, 1926, at the age of 36, Johnson was unanimously elected the eleventh President of Howard University, becoming the first African American to serve as the permanent head of that institution. Johnson raised millions of dollars for new buildings and for upgrading all of the schools. National honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, were established on the campus of Howard.During his administration, it was said that Howard had the greatest collection of African American scholars to be found anywhere.Johnson brought Howard university into national prominence and served as president of Howard for 34 years, since 1926 until his retirement in 1960. In this time the enrollment at Howard University increased from 2,000 in 1926 to more than 10,000 in 1960.
1926 - 1960
He was also a distinguished and respected speaker, an established educator, and a member of the clergy. He traveled extensively over the years speaking about the problems of racial discrimination and its effects on America.
~
Henry County - Paris,TN - History
Mordecai Wyatt Johnson (January 12, 1890 – September 10, 1976) - Paris, in Henry County, was the birthplace of Mordecai Johnson, the first African-American president of a university in the United States. Johnson served as the president of Howard University in Washington D.C. from 1926 until 1960. Mordecai Johnson Johnson was born on January 12, 1890, in Paris, Tennessee. His parents were former slaves, his father was Reverend Wyatt J. Johnson and Carolyn Freeman (a preacher and mill worker) and his mother was a domestic worker for one of the prominent families in town. Mordecai studied primary school in a small elementary school in his native town. After it, he moved to Nashville where studied at Roger Williams University, then Memphis at Howe Institute in Memphis.Johnson received his B.A. from Morehouse College in 1911, and second bachelor of arts degree from the University of Chicago two years later. He studied at several other institutions of higher education, including the Rochester Theological Seminary, Harvard University, Howard University, and the Gammon Theological Seminary.On June 26, 1926, at the age of 36, Johnson was unanimously elected the eleventh President of Howard University, becoming the first African American to serve as the permanent head of that institution. Johnson raised millions of dollars for new buildings and for upgrading all of the schools. National honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, were established on the campus of Howard.During his administration, it was said that Howard had the greatest collection of African American scholars to be found anywhere.Johnson brought Howard university into national prominence and served as president of Howard for 34 years, since 1926 until his retirement in 1960. In this time the enrollment at Howard University increased from 2,000 in 1926 to more than 10,000 in 1960.
He was the 1st African American president of Howard University, Washington, D.C.
1926 - 1960
He was also a distinguished and respected speaker, an established educator, and a member of the clergy. He traveled extensively over the years speaking about the problems of racial discrimination and its effects on America.
~
Henry County - Paris,TN - History
Mordecai Wyatt Johnson (January 12, 1890 – September 10, 1976) - Paris, in Henry County, was the birthplace of Mordecai Johnson, the first African-American president of a university in the United States. Johnson served as the president of Howard University in Washington D.C. from 1926 until 1960. Mordecai Johnson Johnson was born on January 12, 1890, in Paris, Tennessee. His parents were former slaves, his father was Reverend Wyatt J. Johnson and Carolyn Freeman (a preacher and mill worker) and his mother was a domestic worker for one of the prominent families in town. Mordecai studied primary school in a small elementary school in his native town. After it, he moved to Nashville where studied at Roger Williams University, then Memphis at Howe Institute in Memphis.Johnson received his B.A. from Morehouse College in 1911, and second bachelor of arts degree from the University of Chicago two years later. He studied at several other institutions of higher education, including the Rochester Theological Seminary, Harvard University, Howard University, and the Gammon Theological Seminary.On June 26, 1926, at the age of 36, Johnson was unanimously elected the eleventh President of Howard University, becoming the first African American to serve as the permanent head of that institution. Johnson raised millions of dollars for new buildings and for upgrading all of the schools. National honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, were established on the campus of Howard.During his administration, it was said that Howard had the greatest collection of African American scholars to be found anywhere.Johnson brought Howard university into national prominence and served as president of Howard for 34 years, since 1926 until his retirement in 1960. In this time the enrollment at Howard University increased from 2,000 in 1926 to more than 10,000 in 1960.
1926 - 1960
He was also a distinguished and respected speaker, an established educator, and a member of the clergy. He traveled extensively over the years speaking about the problems of racial discrimination and its effects on America.
~
Henry County - Paris,TN - History
Mordecai Wyatt Johnson (January 12, 1890 – September 10, 1976) - Paris, in Henry County, was the birthplace of Mordecai Johnson, the first African-American president of a university in the United States. Johnson served as the president of Howard University in Washington D.C. from 1926 until 1960. Mordecai Johnson Johnson was born on January 12, 1890, in Paris, Tennessee. His parents were former slaves, his father was Reverend Wyatt J. Johnson and Carolyn Freeman (a preacher and mill worker) and his mother was a domestic worker for one of the prominent families in town. Mordecai studied primary school in a small elementary school in his native town. After it, he moved to Nashville where studied at Roger Williams University, then Memphis at Howe Institute in Memphis.Johnson received his B.A. from Morehouse College in 1911, and second bachelor of arts degree from the University of Chicago two years later. He studied at several other institutions of higher education, including the Rochester Theological Seminary, Harvard University, Howard University, and the Gammon Theological Seminary.On June 26, 1926, at the age of 36, Johnson was unanimously elected the eleventh President of Howard University, becoming the first African American to serve as the permanent head of that institution. Johnson raised millions of dollars for new buildings and for upgrading all of the schools. National honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, were established on the campus of Howard.During his administration, it was said that Howard had the greatest collection of African American scholars to be found anywhere.Johnson brought Howard university into national prominence and served as president of Howard for 34 years, since 1926 until his retirement in 1960. In this time the enrollment at Howard University increased from 2,000 in 1926 to more than 10,000 in 1960.
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