Johnson, Benjamin, Jr. "Ben"
(born: 1950 - died: 2003)Benjamin Johnson, Jr., a journalist and talk show host, was born in Louisville, KY, the son of Benjamin, Sr. and Alyce E. Johnson. He was a 1975 journalism graduate of Lincoln University in Missouri. His original plan was to attend architecture school at Howard University, where he had been accepted into the program, but instead, he joined the U.S. Marines and served in Vietnam before returning to attend college.
Johnson's career included being a reporter and photographer at the Louisville Defender and a reporter and city editor at the Courier-Journal in Louisville. He had also been employed at the Post Tribune, Detroit Free Press, St. Petersburg Times, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, and as a columnist with the Huntsville Times.
Johnson was founding president of the Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists and vice president of the Society of Professional Journalists, Detroit.
Johnson and his wife, Mary E. Bullard-Johnson, were editors of Who’s What and Where: a directory of America’s Black journalists (1st ed., 1985 & 2nd ed., 1988).
Johnson had also taught journalism classes at the University of Missouri and helped found the school's Multicultural Management Program. From 1997 until the time of his death, Johnson was the talk-show host of Just Talking at WEUP-AM 1600 in Huntsville, AL.
For more see "B. Johnson, 53, talk show host, journalist," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 12/28/2003, National section, p. 6B; Who's Who Among African Americans, 1992-2000; "Ben Johnson, Jr. (obituary)" The Huntsville Times, December 2003; and "Benjamin Johnson Jr. (obituary)" Courier-Journal via legacy.com.