At Illinois College, the Jacksonville native was a member of Gamma Nu Literary Society and lettered in track and football. He went on to serve the U.S. Marines in WWII with the Montford Point Marines and earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Illinois in 1957. He was a dedicated educator for over 20 years, as assistant high school principal, coach and teacher in Alton. He was also an educational specialist for the State Office of Education and obtained his real estate license in 1972.

In 1991, Johnson was honored by Illinois College with the Alumni Distinguished Service Award for his significant humanitarian contributions to the college, local community and beyond. In 1993, he was elected to serve on the Illinois College Board of Trustees and later received the distinction of trustee emeritus.

Johnson was inducted into the Alton High School Wall of Fame in 2015 and, as a charter member of the Lewis and Clark Community College Foundation, he was honored by the Black Student Association and Advisory Board. Johnson was belatedly awarded the Congressional Medal in 2012 as part of the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to serve the United States Marine Corps. Johnson was deeply respected and honored throughout his life for his dedicated work helping students reach their goals, advocating for the rights of minorities and serving his community.