JOHNSON, ELOISE MCKINNEY
Eloise McKinney Johnson papers, 1940-2011

Restrictions on Access

Special restrictions apply: Collection stored off-site. Researchers must contact the Rose Library in advance to access this collection.

Use copies have not been made for audiovisual material in this collection. Researchers must contact the Rose Library at least two weeks in advance for access to these items. Collection restrictions, copyright limitations, or technical complications may hinder the Rose Library's ability to provide access to audiovisual material.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

Source

Gift of Myron Johnson, Jr., 2020

Custodial History

Myron Johnson, Jr., is the son of Eloise McKinney Johnson. Curator of African American Collections, Pellom McDaniels, III, Head of Collection Processing, Sarah Quigley, and Accessioning Archivist, Meaghan O'Riordan, prepared the materials for transfer to the Rose Library at Eloise McKinney Johnson's home in San Francisco, California.

Citation

[after identification of item(s)], Eloise McKinney Johnson papers, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University.

Appraisal Note

Curator of African American Collections, Pellom McDaniels, III, acquired the collection as part of the Rose Library's holdings in African American education. All material received with the collection has been retained.

Processing

Arranged and described at the collection level by Meaghan O'Riordan and Sarah Quigley, February 2020.

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Biographical Note

Eloise Vaughn McKinney Johnson (1926-2018) was born in Greensboro, North Carolina on December 7, 1926. Her mother was Martha Lloyd McKinney, who graduated from Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia) in 1919 and taught English in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County school system (North Carolina). Johnson's father was Theophilus Elisha (T. E.) McKinney (1897-1962), Dean of Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, North Carolina) from 1929-1962. Her grandfather was George Patterson McKinney (1863-1933), president of Florida Memorial College (now University, in Miami Gardens), who sent all eight of his children to college in Atlanta, Georgia, at Morehouse College and Spelman College.

Johnson attended Spelman College from 1943-1947 where she majored in English and minored in history. She also became a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sorority. From 1947-1948, she attended Boston University (Massachusetts) to complete her M.A. in English with a focus on American literature. She would further her education by pursuing advanced studies in drama, speech, and history at the University of Colorado (Boulder), the University of Wisconsin (Madison), and Stanford University (California).

On June 11, 1952, Eloise married Myron H. Johnson (1924-1997). They had a son, Myron H. Johnson, Jr., in 1953, who adopted the nickname, "Jay Jay." The couple divorced in 1958, and Myron moved to San Francisco, California, where he became an administrator in the San Francisco Unified School District. In 1963, Myron, Jr., moved to join his father. In 1964, Myron Sr. and Eloise reconciled, and Eloise moved to San Francisco. The couple remarried on June 11, 1965 but divorced a second time in 1973.

Johnson taught at Winston-Salem State College (North Carolina) from 1948-1952; at Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia) from 1953-1961 while Benjamin Mays was the president; and at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (Greensboro) from 1961-1965. After her move to San Francisco, she taught in the San Francisco Unified School District from 1966-1967; at San Francisco Community College from 1966-1971; at North Peralta College (Oakland, California) from 1971-1973; and at Laney College (Oakland, California) from 1973-1989. Her students included the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., Dr. David Satcher, Minister Louis Farrakhan, Sr., and Dr. Louis Wade Sullivan.

She was a member of several organizations, including the African American Historical & Cultural Society, the San Francisco Chapter of the United Nations Association, the College Language Association, the San Francisco Academy of World Studies, the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, the Spelman College National Alumnae Association, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Johnson has contributed articles and reviews to The Langston Hughes Review, the CLA Journal, the Journal of Negro History, Black Art International Quarterly, the Journal of African Civilizations, and the Journal of Black Sacred Music.

Johnson died on May 27, 2018, in San Francisco, California.

Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of the papers of Eloise McKinney Johnson and include subject files, photographs, books and periodicals, correspondence, teaching files and family papers. Subject files document Johnson's research interests, including her research on African feast ladles, which are carved wooden ceremonial spoons that acknowledge a woman's remarkable generosity, of which Johnson had a significant collection. Subject files also include research on various African and Latin American countries and culture, her participating in the African American Historical & Cultural Society, research on black culture, files documenting the lives of Johnson's friends and family, and other personal interests. A significant amount of material across the collection concerns historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), especially Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia), Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia), and Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, North Carolina). Correspondence includes letters between Johnson and her parents, as well as friends and other family members. Family papers document the history of the McKinney and Johnson families’ long history of professional educators. Teaching files include worksheets and lessons for teaching English. Photographs include images of Johnson's travels, as well as numerous family events, such as birthdays and reunions.

Arrangement Note

Arranged by record type. Items remain in original physical order but are arranged alphabetically by type in the container list to facilitate access.