Johnson Centennial
Speakers shared stories of Judge Johnson and Alabama’s challenging history. The videos and photos here, presented in order of the Symposium’s agenda, capture some of the moving presentations and events from the Centennial Symposium honoring Judge Johnson and his legacy.
Wednesday, January 23
A re-enactment through conversations with the three state prosecutors: Former Alabama Attorney General Bill Baxley, former Deputy Attorney General George Beck and former Assistant Attorney General Ed Carnes, with Honorable United States District Judge Myron H. Thompson presiding.
Having the opportunity to clerk for Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. was one of the most memorable experiences of our lives. His wisdom, integrity, devotion to the Constitution, commitment to public service, sense of humor, common sense, and respect for fellow human beings made him the perfect role model. We learned many lessons, in law and in life, from Judge Johnson and are endlessly grateful for the time he shared
Thursday, January 24
A morning rumination with David Bagwell and Cathy Wright, former law clerks to Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr.
There is more to Montgomery's significance to the Civil Rights Movement than what occurred in the courtroom. In this city, you can visit Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s church, the site of Rosa Parks' arrest, and the Alabama State Capitol, where the marches for voting rights ended. These leaders and events mark the city as historically important in the fight for justice and racial equality. But Montgomery offers even more through its museums and memorials that commemorate the cost of such freedom.
Thursday, January 24
Honorable U.S. District Judge Emily C. Marks presiding, the service included greetings from Reverend Cromwell Handy, comments by dignitaries, readings from local Alabama Shakespeare Festival's Greta Lambert and judges, and hymns performed and led by the Alabama State University choir, under the direction of Dr. Kris Sanchak.
Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. was a federal jurist who in spite of death threats and intense societal pressure made civil rights decisions that helped change the segregationist practices of the South. In a time when Jim Crow laws oppressed African-Americans and peaceful protests were met with violence from government authorities and the public, Judge Johnson stood firm in defense of civil liberties. His decisions on voting rights, equal-opportunity employment, affirmative action, humane conditions for prison inmates, and the rights of mental patients to adequate care affected the nation and the world.
Thursday, January 24
Ambassador Andrew Young, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Howell H. Raines, Alabama author Wayne Flynt, and others offer reflections on the life and legacy of a modest but distinguished gentleman, soldier and judge whose respect for the Constitution and insistence upon equal justice under the law gave flight to a movement that changed the world forever. Honorable Chief U.S. District Judge W. Keith Watkins presiding.
