Funeral arrangements have been for the Rev. Lionel Johnson Sr., first
chairman of the Southern University System Board, who died on Thursday,
April 28. Johnson will lie in state on Friday, May 13 at 4-7 p.m. at
St. Joseph Baptist Church in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. On Saturday, May
14, services will be held at First Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in St.
Gabriel, with viewing at 8-10 a.m. and the funeral beginning at 10 a.m.
Burial will be at the Heavenly Gates Mausoleum in Baton Rouge.
Johnson, who was a Southern University and A&M College alumnus,
was appointed to the newly formed system of Southern’s institutions in
1974 by then-Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards. Johnson was subsequently
elected as chairman, a position he held for 10 years. At the time, the
system included Southern University and A&M College and Southern
University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Southern University at New
Orleans, and Southern University Shreveport. The Southern University
Agricultural Research and Extension Center was established as a fifth
system institution in 2001.
“The Southern University System family extends our condolences and
prayers to Rev. Johnson’s family, former colleagues and others who knew
him well,” said Ray L. Belton, president of the Southern University
System and chancellor of Southern University and A&M College. “Rev.
Johnson’s service to our institutions was part of a great trajectory,
forming Southern into the first system of Historically Black Colleges
and Universities in the nation. He was the epitome of a servant-leader
not only for Southern but also for his community. While his physical
presence will be missed by many, his contributions will live on through
countless more for years to come.”
Among Johnson’s other appointments:
- Appointment by Gov. Edwards as a member of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
- Appointments by Gov. Dave Treen and Gov. Edwin Edwards,
respectively, to the Governor’s Special Commission on Educational
Services (now Office of Student Financial Assistance) as member and
chair. - Appointed by Gov. Edwin Edwards as an inaugural alderman for the Town of St. Gabriel and subsequently elected by the people.
- Appointment by the Iberville Parish Police Jury as a member and vice-chair of the Iberville Parish Charter Commission.
- Appointment by Iberville Parish School Board as a member and chair of the Zero Tolerance Commission.
Johnson, who served 28 years as chief administrative deputy of the
Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, founded and became president of the
Iberville Coalition of Black Peace Officers. He was also a founding
member and president of the East Iberville Community Complex
Incorporated, which is now the site of the current St. Gabriel City
Hall. He was a member and first Black president of the Capital Economic
Development District Council, which included the parishes of Ascension,
East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Point Coupee,
St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, West Baton Rouge and
West Feliciana.
Johnson, who was also an English teacher for eight years in East
Feliciana Parish, was a pastor for more than 36 years at three churches —
Third Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Sunshine, Louisiana; St. Joseph
Baptist Church in St. Gabriel, Louisiana; and Greater Ebenezer Baptist
Church in Plaquemine, Louisiana.
In addition to his bachelor’s degree in English from Southern,
Johnson received a master’s degree in curriculum development from the
State University of New York at Albany. He was also an alumnus of the
Law Enforcement Basic Training Academy at Louisiana State University.
