Yvonne Johnson, who has been a leader in Greensboro in many roles for a very long time, passed away at the age of 82 on Wednesday, Dec. 4, and, in the wake of her death, praise for her life of service to the community is being expressed by everyone from local leaders who worked alongside her to the governor of the state.
Johnson had been ill but her sudden ultimate demise came as a surprise to many.
For nearly a decade and a half, she had been serving as an at-large member of the Greensboro City Council. She was also Greensboro Mayor Pro-Tem.
From 2007 to 2009, she served as the mayor of Greensboro.
The day after she passed away, NC Governor Roy Cooper posted about Johnson’s life on social media.
“Yvonne Johnson was a dedicated public servant and friend who led Greensboro with courage, passion and a sense of justice,” he posted on X. “I am grateful for her good work and the positive changes she helped make and my prayers are with her friends and family.”
Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston said this week that he felt a special commonality with Johnson because she was the first black mayor of Greensboro and he was the first black chairman of the Board of Commissioners – a position that’s sometimes referred to as one akin to being the “mayor of the county.”
Also, Alston was first elected to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners in 1992 and it was only one year after that that Johnson was elected to the City Council.
“I knew her before that,” Alston said, “and I knew of her even before that, through her work with One Step Further,” a non-profit Johnson started four decades ago and ran until May of this year.
Alston said Johnson and One Step Further had helped many, many area residents over the years and he added that Johnson, and her contributions to the enrichment of lives across the county, will be greatly missed.
Johnson started One Step Further as an organization “dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families facing personal conflict and crisis.”
According to promotional information from the organization, she saw an “urgent need” and “aimed to create a system that would help those in distress navigate their legal, social, and personal challenges. Her vision centered on offering programs and services that would address key social issues in more productive, meaningful ways, fostering solutions that empower individuals and communities to overcome adversity and build healthier futures.”
At first, One Step Further was a small one-program non-profit helping a few people. Today, it operates nine distinct programs and serves thousands of Guilford County residents. Those programs include juvenile intervention efforts to set kids on the right path in life, conflict mediation efforts, and initiatives that help people overcome food insecurity.
A graduate of Dudley High School and Bennett College, Johnson earned her master’s degree from North Carolina A&T State University.
She was also a leader in the advancement of civil rights and she marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Washington DC.
Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, who’s worked with Johnson for years, said it’s difficult to put into words how much good Johnson did for the city during her life. She said Johnson was truly one of Greensboro’s “champions.”
In a public statement in the wake of Johnson’s death, Vaughan said, “It is an understatement to say that Yvonne was a pillar of this community. She served as a City Council member for 14 years and as Mayor Pro-Tem for 6.”
Like Alston, Vaughan noted that Johnson was the first person of color to serve as Greensboro’s mayor.
Johnson was also the first African American in the state of North Carolina to join the Junior League.
In addition to her work with One Step Further, she served on the board of directors for the Malachi House and she was the first president of the Women’s Resource Center.
Johnson’s daughter, Lisa Johnson-Tonkins, serves as the Guilford County Clerk of Superior Court.
On Wednesday morning at 8:17 a.m., Johnson-Tonkins posted the bible verses James 5:14 and 5:15 on Facebook: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”
She added, “I prayed as to whether I should post and my message from God was Yvonne needs the prayer of the people. Therefore I am requesting prayer from all my prayer warriors. Love you momma, keep fighting.”
Never worked a day in her life. Her and her daughter got rich off the white taxpayers.
Horrible comment!!
Welcome to the rhino comment section.
Ken you may think it’s a horrible comment but if or one agree with it. She may have truly loved Greensboro but 50 years in government and never a real job she and her non profit lived off of the taxpayers. She’s not the only one there are several on the city council as well as the county commissioners.
Is it true? If it is, it is not horrible but just a fact.
Like most things commented here, it is a distorted version of the truth driven by personal dislike for her politics.
Her husband was a successful lawyer so she chose a type of work that didn’t require the pursuit of income but the pursuit of helping her community. For example, In 1982, Johnson led a local non-profit One Step Further, a United Way Agency in Greensboro that provided mediation and court alternative programs to Greensboro’s youth.
Since her work was for the benefit of others without asking for much in return, hateful conservatives would say she ‘never worked’ a day in her life. I disagree, i say she worked very hard throughout her life.
But you be you.
Good comment.
Well, a nonprofit does not mean she is not paid. I am in no way disparaging Mrs. Johnson. I think she made a positive impact overall. I am speaking to Chris’ oversimplification of non-profit. Mrs. Johnson actually drew a salary of $57k for One Step Further. Hardly selfless, Chris, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t trying to provide a useful service. Looks more like she got paid to do a job just like most people. She was still a nice lady.
https://givefreely.com/charity-directory/nonprofit/ein-581484818/
Chris, you confirmed what William stated, Ms. Johnson did not “require the pursuit of income.” In essence, she did not “work” for whatever reason.
Her husband was disbarred in 2005.
Also Chris don’t forget the 1.5 million of taxpayers dollars she was in charge of for the “cure violence “ program in Greensboro for the past 3 years. She had no measurable metrics and goals, no oversight and a record 70+ homicides last year. No was no accountability for this program or our tax dollars
I didn’t say she didn’t get paid. I have no idea. But I promise she didn’t do it for income as she truly loved her community based on her years of service.
Chris, “didn’t require the pursuit of income.”
Chris, “without asking for much in return.”
Chris, “I didn’t say she didn’t get paid.”
Way to go, hair splitter. $57k is not exactly the pauper fund. A lot of people wish they could make that much. Others call it income. Everyone else just calls it “their job”, which is quite a bit different from charity work, which one typically does for free.
Timmmy, I was just pointing out that he has worked throughout her life in response to Williams silly comment about her living off of rich white taxpayers (as if people of color cannot also be rich…. but we know exactly what Willilam meant by his comment don’t we…)
Amen ..
An inconsiderate and unnecessary comment. I worked in two capacities in which I had contact with Mrs. Johnson. She was considerate and kind. One of my jobs could be considered adversarial to council and she never treated me with anything but respect. May she rest in peace.
Chris would you say that Skip has loved his community as well. as he has fleeced the city and county taxpayers for many years with his money pit museum. Do you see a pattern here but you be you
Skip does love his community. But I am not a fan, as I think Skip views government spending as the key to all things and have serious concerns about his mixing of business and his position on the council.
I understand that conservatives can only view evil intent behind those that have different political views versus people just having a different perspective on how to solve community issues/problems.
But you be you.
Chris I know Skip personally and you are so wrong about loving his community. Skip loves two things power and money. Neither has anything to do with the community
Ms. Yvonne was one of the “Greensboro Greats” in my opinion and will long be remembered for her dedicated service within this community and beyond. My chats with her were always memorable, and I always enjoyed her wit and wisdom … both dealt with aplomb in even doses. She was a proud Bennett woman of many accomplishments, and we are a better place for the many contributions she made in countless lives. Now rest in peace, godly servant, wrapped in the warm serenity you so richly deserve. Amen.
FDR once said that you can gauge a fellow’s calibre by how he treats the little guy. By that measure, Yvonne Johnson was a superstar.
Yvonne Johnson was one of my customers. She enjoyed the service my small business provides. Never once in over two decades was she any less than warm, friendly, and considerate. That’s amazing. We all have bad days, or days when we just don’t feel like dealing with salespeople, but Mrs Johnson was never less than a pleasure to speak with.
Often only she and I were discussing matters, so she could have been offhand or brusque and nobody would have known (except me). But even when no-one was looking, she was still a perfect example of courtesy and kindness.
She was pure class. What a wonderful woman. I already miss her.
God Bless, Mrs Johnson, and thanks for everything.
So as long as the politicians who oversee the “parasite sector” (Austin’s words, not mine) patronize his business, they’re ok in his book. Otherwise, the rest are sucking at the teet of the tax paying citizens. Of course, I’m certain he will have some rambling diatribe of $5 words strung together to justify his stance on her versus the rest of the bunch. Very “political” of you Austin.
Go eff yourself. That simple enough for you?
Now now Austin, don’t go and get your cockeyed feathers ina ruffle. We all can be a little hypocritical sometimes. And I for one like your $5 words
Thanks Aussie. A lot of people feel threatened by others who possess an extensive vocabulary and who benefited from an excellent education. I was lucky.
I refuse to “dumb down” to their level. Their lack of education and ignorance is not my problem.
Nor are their intellectual insecurities. Their chip on their shoulder is their problem.
PS – Are you really Australian? My best friend lives in Castle Hill NSW, outside Sydney.
Notice how the focus of the replies is on the shot of Austin’s word salad vocab and avoids the hypocrisy of his gushing memorial. Typical.
It takes a longer explanation to refute your allegation of hypocrisy, so I’ve written a Letter to the Editor. Read it and weep.
There is no inconsistency or hypocrisy in my encomium for Yvonne Johnson and my position on the economic status of the Public Sector/Parasitic sector.
****
One more thing.
Your diction, solecisms, petty spitefulness, and infantilism have revealed your identity. You’re “Chris” aren’t you? Come on buddy, stop hiding behind a fake name and come clean.
You’re Christian Rice.
***** Puff! And just like that, Chris is gone !
Whenever this creep has decisively lost an argument, or has been “outed” after hiding behind a fake name, he just runs away back to the shadows.
What a little wanker.
When a small women’s organization chapter was looking for a speaker that I was a part of at the time and reached out to her and other leaders, she was the only one to respond.
She apologized that she could not come, because it was on the same day the council was meeting.
Those “little” things count as much as the big ones. There is a reason she got the most votes at large consistently.
Yes I’m originally from Newtown Been in the US since mid 80s. Small family still there, I go home every few years I did a walk about when I first got here. America is a very unique place. But so is Australia not so politically divided
I’d love to visit The Lucky Country, and tried to emigrate to Adelaide when I left school at 17, but they turned down my application. Ended up here in NC. Hey, it’s a lot closer to Blighty!
I love America, but sometimes wonder what my life would have been like if the Australian authorities had approved my application. I was really surprised it got declined since it was the late 1970’s, just a few years after they ended Assisted Passage (“Ten Pound Poms”).
C’est la vie.
Austin I hope you’re lucky enough to visit one day. You will love the tough independence there. You will be welcomed mostly because you’re not American. The Native Aussies really don’t care much for Yanks. Taking some time off for me and my better half for the holidays, going on a walk about. So stay safe and Merry Christmas
Good on ya. Merry Christmas!
PS One of my favourite movies is “Walkabout” with Jenny Agutter. The visuals are breathtakingly beautiful.
I think I’d love Australia, it’s my kind of country.
Best wishes Aussie.
She also should have recused herself more than she did. . .especially after “One Step Further” which continued to get funding by the council for years, and her relatives were employees. Stinks.. . . politics is alive and well in GBO.
She was a good politician since she ensured her “district” would get funding for their requests
RIP Ms. Johnson
From reading about Ms. Johnson through the years, it appeared to me that she was gracious, thoughtful, kind, and someone who could be easily manipulated because she was gracious, thoughtful, and kind. The nonprofit One Step Further has milked the taxpayers and others of millions of taxpayers’ dollars with the help of the City of Greensboro politicians. If a time machine could take us back to the beginning of One Step Further, it is believed there would be surprising revelations about the intent of the formation of One Step Further. There is no oversight of nonprofits which allows for abuses at taxpayer expense.
“Thank God and Greyhound……….”