JCHS board member James S. “Jimmy” Johnson dies

JCHS board member James S. “Jimmy” Johnson III died Jan. 13.

He was a longtime educator and re-enactor of African-American life during the Civil War era. He was 66.

Read a Kansas City Star article and obituary.

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Jimmy brought a deep passion for history to students at Hogan Preparatory Academy High School and was a regular Civil War reenactor.

His great-grandfather fought at the Battle of Island Mound in Bates County, the first combat engagement of African-American soldiers in the Civil War.

Johnson also regularly worked with local filmmakers on local history projects including Freedom Seekers: Stories from the Western Underground Railroad and appeared in the Kevin Willmott documentary From Separate to Equal about the old General Hospital No. 2 and the the integration of public hospitals in Kansas City.

You can hear Jimmy discuss his life and family during a program at the Kansas City Public Library.

Brent Schondelmeyer