Reverend Bruce W. Johnson Jr. (1938 – September 29, 1969) was a Methodist minister in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. He was pastor of Armitage Avenue United Methodist Church (renamed "People's Church") and worked closely with the Young Lords, a Puerto Rican civil rights organization and former street gang. Johnson and his wife Marjorie Eugenia Johnson (née Ransier) were found stabbed to death in their home on September 29, 1969.[1][2]
Johnson offered aid and solidarity to the Young Lords during their occupation of the McCormick Theological Seminary in May 1969.[3] Soon after, the Young Lords approached officials at Armitage Avenue United Methodist Church, where Johnson was pastor, about setting up a day care center at the church. Johnson was receptive to the idea, but the congregation was not. After a four-day sit-in that began on June 11, 1969, the Young Lords occupied the church.[4] Lincoln Park residents asked the city to inspect the church to determine if the site was in compliance with state regulations in hopes of quashing the day care project. The inspection found eleven violations that cost an estimated ten thousand dollars to correct.[4] The Young Lords raised the funds, and two months later a day care center was opened in the basement of the church. A medical facility and breakfast program for poor children were added later.[5] Johnson supported the takeover of the church, which the Young Lords eventually renamed the "People's Church".[5]
Death
Johnson and his wife were found stabbed to death in their apartment on September 29, 1969.[1] Their murders remain unsolved.[5]
Legacy
Bruce Johnson and Eugenia Johnson continue to be recognized for their support of the Young Lords.[3] On September 29, 2019, a service was held at Holy Covenant United Methodist Church to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the couple's deaths. Speakers at the service included Young Lords founder José Cha Cha Jiménez, DePaul University professor Jacqueline Lazu, and leaders from the Presbyterian McCormick Theological Seminary (occupied by the Young Lords in 1969).[3] Following the memorial, attendees marched through the Lincoln Park neighborhood to the former site of People’s Church.
^ abcO'Brien, John (30 September 1969). "N. Side Cleric, Wife Slain". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
^ abFowkes, Tom (6 October 2013). "DePaul-connected Young Lords Organization honors fallen comrades". The DePaulia. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
^ abcBurke, Tom (3 October 2019). "Young Lords remember martyrs and march for the future". Fight Back! News. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
^ abJeffries, Judson (Autumn 2003). "From Gang-bangers to Urban Revolutionaries: The Young Lords of Chicago" (PDF). Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 93 (3): 288–304. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
^ abcGrossman, Ron (8 July 2018). "The Young Lords: How a street gang turned to community activism". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
External links
Young Lords Newspaper Collection at DePaul University Library - Digital Collections
Young Lords in Lincoln Park - Grand Valley State University Special Collections & University Archives
Rainbow Coalition - Grand Valley State University Digital Collection
National Young Lords
January 07, 2023
bruce, johnson, minister, reverend, bruce, johnson, 1938, september, 1969, methodist, minister, lincoln, park, neighborhood, chicago, illinois, pastor, armitage, avenue, united, methodist, church, renamed, people, church, worked, closely, with, young, lords, p. Reverend Bruce W Johnson Jr 1938 September 29 1969 was a Methodist minister in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago Illinois He was pastor of Armitage Avenue United Methodist Church renamed People s Church and worked closely with the Young Lords a Puerto Rican civil rights organization and former street gang Johnson and his wife Marjorie Eugenia Johnson nee Ransier were found stabbed to death in their home on September 29 1969 1 2 The ReverendBruce JohnsonPersonalBornBruce W Johnson Jr 1938Aurora Illinois U S DiedSeptember 29 1969 1969 09 29 aged 30 31 Chicago Illinois U S ReligionChristianity Protestantism SpouseEugenia Johnson m 1962 died 1969 wbr ChildrenBrian Johnson Kevin Johnson and Perry JohnsonDenominationMethodistEducationGarrett Evangelical Theological SeminaryProfessionMinisterChurchArmitage Avenue United Methodist ChurchSenior postingProfessionMinister Contents 1 Early life 2 Involvement with the Young Lords 3 Death 4 Legacy 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditBruce Johnson was born in Aurora Illinois in 1938 He met his wife Eugenia while they both attended Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston Illinois The couple married in 1962 and had three sons Brian Kevin and Perry 2 Johnson was ordained as a Methodist minister in 1964 1 Involvement with the Young Lords EditJohnson offered aid and solidarity to the Young Lords during their occupation of the McCormick Theological Seminary in May 1969 3 Soon after the Young Lords approached officials at Armitage Avenue United Methodist Church where Johnson was pastor about setting up a day care center at the church Johnson was receptive to the idea but the congregation was not After a four day sit in that began on June 11 1969 the Young Lords occupied the church 4 Lincoln Park residents asked the city to inspect the church to determine if the site was in compliance with state regulations in hopes of quashing the day care project The inspection found eleven violations that cost an estimated ten thousand dollars to correct 4 The Young Lords raised the funds and two months later a day care center was opened in the basement of the church A medical facility and breakfast program for poor children were added later 5 Johnson supported the takeover of the church which the Young Lords eventually renamed the People s Church 5 Death EditJohnson and his wife were found stabbed to death in their apartment on September 29 1969 1 Their murders remain unsolved 5 Legacy EditBruce Johnson and Eugenia Johnson continue to be recognized for their support of the Young Lords 3 On September 29 2019 a service was held at Holy Covenant United Methodist Church to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the couple s deaths Speakers at the service included Young Lords founder Jose Cha Cha Jimenez DePaul University professor Jacqueline Lazu and leaders from the Presbyterian McCormick Theological Seminary occupied by the Young Lords in 1969 3 Following the memorial attendees marched through the Lincoln Park neighborhood to the former site of People s Church See also EditYoung Lords Jose Cha Cha Jimenez Rainbow Coalition Fred Hampton References Edit a b c O Brien John 30 September 1969 N Side Cleric Wife Slain Chicago Tribune Retrieved 25 July 2020 a b Fowkes Tom 6 October 2013 DePaul connected Young Lords Organization honors fallen comrades The DePaulia Retrieved 25 July 2020 a b c Burke Tom 3 October 2019 Young Lords remember martyrs and march for the future Fight Back News Retrieved 25 July 2020 a b Jeffries Judson Autumn 2003 From Gang bangers to Urban Revolutionaries The Young Lords of Chicago PDF Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 93 3 288 304 Retrieved 27 July 2020 a b c Grossman Ron 8 July 2018 The Young Lords How a street gang turned to community activism Chicago Tribune Retrieved 25 July 2020 External links EditYoung Lords Newspaper Collection at DePaul University Library Digital Collections Young Lords in Lincoln Park Grand Valley State University Special Collections amp University Archives Rainbow Coalition Grand Valley State University Digital Collection National Young Lords Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bruce Johnson minister amp oldid 1056183317, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
