From the Office of Candace Sue, Posted Courtesy of Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight
San Francisco ~ Dallas ~~~
Press Statement
San Francisco Mourns the Loss of David Johnson,
Renowned Photographer and Civil Rights Advocate, at 97
March 2, 2024 – San Francisco, CA: David Johnson, a revered figure in both the world of photography and social activism, passed away peacefully in Marin County, California on Friday, March 1, at the age of 97. Mr. Johnson, one of the last of San Francisco's ‘Golden Decade’ photographers, leaves behind a legacy of remarkable contributions to both his craft and his community.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Mr. Johnson was raised by foster parents in the segregated south and served in the navy during World War II. He first came to San Francisco to train at the Tanforan base in San Mateo just outside San Francisco. Upon completing his naval service, he embarked on a journey that would lead him to study under the tutelage of Ansel Adams at the California Institute of the Arts (San Francisco Arts Institute).
Despite challenges, including racial barriers, Mr. Johnson became the first African American to study in a new photography program led by the acclaimed photographer Ansel Adams. Mr. Johnson's talent and determination shone through, earning him a place to study not only with Mr. Adams but also with photography legends Minor White and Imogene Cunningham. Under Adams's guidance, Mr. Johnson learned to "photograph what you know," leading him to focus his lens on the vibrant Black community of Fillmore. His work not only captured the essence of Fillmore's jazz era but also documented pivotal moments in history as a reporter for San Francisco's Sun Reporter, including the 1963 March on Washington.
Beyond his photography, Mr. Johnson was deeply involved in community activism. He has served as chairman of the Mayor's Committee to Restore Haight Ashbury and as past president of the San Francisco African American Historical & Cultural Society. His name is engraved in the sidewalk of the Fillmore's Gene Suttle Plaza and he was elected president of the San Francisco chapter of the National Alliance of Service Postal Employees. As University of California San Francisco’s first African American employment counselor, he co-founded the “Black Caucus” which negotiated employment rights for Blacks and underrepresented minorities at the hospital and medical school. In collaboration with the organizing efforts of San Francisco NAACP, Mr. Johnson sued the San Francisco Unified School District to force the desegregation of schools in every corner of the city (SFUSD vs Johnson), and into his 90’s, continued to advocate for mental health services for the unhoused.
Mr. Johnson's impact extended far beyond the streets of San Francisco. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States, including in a 2022 retrospective by the San Francisco Arts Commission called David Johnson: In the Zone (1945-1965) at City Hall. Pieces of his collection are in the Library of Congress and The Bancroft Library at University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Johnson has received numerous commendations and awards from San Francisco’s mayors. He has received a UCSF Medal from the University of California, San Francisco, the Fillmore Heritage Award from the SF Jazz Center San Francisco, and in 2023, he was honored by The Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley with the Hubert Howe Bancroft Award. In recognition of his contributions, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department named a photo library and the city's oldest public darkroom, housed within the Harvey Milk Photography Center, the David Johnson Photography Processing Lab.
Mr. Johnson has been the subject of the biography A Dream Begun So Long Ago by Jacqueline A. Sue, and the documentary short film Positives Negatives: The Photography of David Johnson by Mindy Steiner. His photography is featured in the book Harlem of the West by Elizabeth Pepin and Lewis Watts and The Golden Decade, Photography at the California School of Fine Arts 1945-1955 by Ken Ball and Victoria Whyte Ball. Mr. Johnson’s photographs are also part of the permanent collections of The San Francisco Airport and the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.
David Johnson's legacy will continue to inspire future generations of photographers and activists, leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of San Francisco and beyond.
Contact:
Candace Sue