Fredericksburg, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Johnny P. Johnson

City of Fredericksburg, Virginia

— FXBG Civil Rights Trail —

Johnny P. Johnson Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 2, 2024

1. Johnny P. Johnson Marker

Inscription.

Johnny P. Johnson. City of Fredericksburg, Virginia. , Beloved artist, teacher, husband, father, community leader, and friend., Known for his stunning abstracts, landscapes, and sensitively rendered figural paintings, Johnson was a respected member of Fredericksburg's arts community and won numerous awards for his artwork., Born in North Carolina in 1936, Johnny P. Johnson played basketball at Virginia State University before receiving a master's in fine arts from Howard University. Johnson arrived in Fredericksburg in 1959 and started teaching at the Walker-Grant School. Over the next 60 years, Johnson coached basketball, taught countless art courses, advocated for Civil Rights, served as a deacon at Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), and affected the lives of thousands of students, colleagues, and community members throughout the Fredericksburg region., Johnson married Jean Blackstock in 1961, and the couple had two sons, Shelton Thomas and John Patrick. The first African American faculty member at Mary Washington College, Johnson also taught at James Monroe High School and at Germanna Community College before retiring in 1991., [Captions:] , Top left: While Johnson planned to teach in Fredericksburg for only one year, he fell in love with local teacher Jean Blackstock and spent six decades giving back to his community. Johnny P. and Jean B. Johnson in 1968, courtesy The Free Lance-Star., Right: On July 7, 2018, the city of Fredericksburg celebrated "Johnny P. Johnson Day" and honored him with a mural created by local artist Bill Harris. Photograph by Peter Cihelka, courtesy The Free-Lance-Star., Johnson offered workshops at local community centers, arts, organizations, and correctional facilities, including this one in Stafford County in March 1973. Photograph by Barry Fitzgerald courtesy of The Free Lance-Star., Johnny P. Johnson passed away on November 5, 2022. His legacy lives on in his family, his art, and the thousands of community members he taught, helped, and supported. Photograph by Suzanne Carr Rossi, courtesy Germanna Community College.

Beloved artist, teacher, husband, father, community leader, and friend.

Known for his stunning abstracts, landscapes, and sensitively rendered figural paintings, Johnson was a respected member of Fredericksburg's arts community and won numerous awards for his artwork.

Born in North Carolina in 1936, Johnny P. Johnson played basketball at Virginia State University before receiving a master's in fine arts from Howard University. Johnson arrived in Fredericksburg in 1959 and started teaching at the Walker-Grant School. Over the next 60 years, Johnson coached basketball, taught countless art courses, advocated for Civil Rights, served as a deacon at Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), and affected the lives of thousands of students, colleagues, and community members throughout the Fredericksburg region.

Johnson married Jean Blackstock in 1961, and the couple had two sons, Shelton Thomas and John Patrick. The first African American faculty member at Mary Washington College, Johnson also taught at James Monroe High School and at Germanna Community College before retiring in 1991.

[Captions:]
Top left: While Johnson planned to teach in Fredericksburg for only one year, he fell in love with local teacher Jean Blackstock and spent six decades giving back to his community. Johnny P. and Jean B. Johnson in 1968, courtesy The Free Lance-Star.

Right: On July 7, 2018, the city of Fredericksburg celebrated "Johnny P. Johnson Day" and honored him with a mural created by local artist Bill Harris. Photograph by Peter Cihelka, courtesy The Free-Lance-Star.

Johnson offered workshops at local community centers, arts, organizations, and correctional facilities, including this one in Stafford County in March 1973. Photograph by Barry Fitzgerald courtesy of The Free Lance-Star.

Johnny P. Johnson passed away on November 5, 2022. His legacy lives on in his family, his art, and the thousands of community members he taught, helped, and supported. Photograph by Suzanne Carr Rossi, courtesy Germanna Community College.

Erected 2024

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by City of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Education. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities series list. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1973.

Location. 38° 18.24′ N, 77° 27.509′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It is on Sophia Street just south of Chatham Bridge, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 923 Sophia St, Fredericksburg VA 22401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Northern Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 2, 2024

2. Johnny P. Johnson Marker

least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Stone Warehouse (here, next to this marker); Lease Land (a few steps from this marker); 1862 (within shouting distance of this marker); A Moment in Time: Circa 1925 (about 300 feet away); Inalienable Rights (about 400 feet away); Civil Rights (about 400 feet away); Constitutional Crisis (about 400 feet away); Center of Eighteenth Century Urban Life (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fredericksburg.

Other markers no longer nearby. Seeking Civil Rights (was about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Stating Inalienable Rights (was about 300 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Weedon’s Tavern (was about 300 feet away but has been permanently removed).

The mural honoring Johnny P. Johnson image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 2, 2024

3. The mural honoring Johnny P. Johnson

This mural can be found across the street from the marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 2, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 387 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 2, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.