Jessie Mae Johnson 

Jessie Mae Johnson was a tireless worker in Oregon for every Civil Rights initiative sponsored by the NAACP and Urban League from 1944 until her death in 1977. She served on both Boards for many years. While serving as first Vice President at the Urban League, she was honored by the National Chapter of the Urban League for outstanding achievement. She received numerous awards and commendations for both her Civil Rights work and children's welfare work.

Jessie Mae Johnson was born in Meridian, Mississippi in 1912. She was the youngest of four sisters. She was raised by a single mother and her older sisters. She received her high school diploma in Meridian and her teaching credentials at Rust College in Holly Spring, Mississippi. Prior to relocating to Vanport, Oregon, she had taught in both primary and elementary schools for twelve years.

In 1943 during World War II her husband Leon was recruited by Kaiser Shipbuilding Company to work as a sheet metal welder at Kaiser's Vancouver, Washington shipyard. Jessie Mae and their twelve-year-old son followed him later in the year. Initially, she joined Leon at the shipyard as an electrician’s helper. She enjoyed the pay, which was considerably more than she had ever earned as a schoolteacher in Mississippi. She had never made more than eighteen dollars per month there; this was Mississippi in the 1930s -- separate was never equal.

Teaching was her passion and she sought a position with the Portland Public Schools. They would not accept her application, explaining that they had no Blacks in the system and had no plans to hire anyone. She then went to the Oregon State Employment Office. She was interviewed by Mrs. Kathryn Bogle, who at that time was the only Black woman salaried by the State of Oregon. They made a lifelong connection as their families became lifelong friends. Mrs. Bogle directed her to the Volunteers of America as they had registered a job opening for a nursery school teacher. Jessie made an appointment to apply and interview. The Director expressed surprise upon her arrival, and after stammering, explained that the Volunteers had decided not to fill the position. Jessie Mae reported back to Mrs. Bogle that the job was withdrawn.

A week later Mrs. Bogle called Jessie Mae, informing her that the Volunteers had not withdrawn the job. Jessie Mae went back to the Volunteers every week for six weeks, each time given the same story. Jessie Mae was determined that as long as the job was posted she was going to pursue it. Week seven she was met at the door by the cook who was holding a crying baby; the phone was ringing, there was general chaos, and the cook was totally overwhelmed. A teacher had called in sick and the Director was called away on an emergency. Jessie Mae took the crying child, answered the phone, and brought calm to the situation. She stayed for the next twenty-five years. She initially was hired as a teacher's aide and kitchen helper. She did everything, filled in as emergency nurse, cook, taught classes, interviewed families, rocked babies and ran the office. In the late forties she became supervisor of both the Volunteers' day care nurseries and director of the Volunteers' Nursery and Kindergarten Programs.

The Volunteers' Nursery School became Jessie Mae's base of operations in which she was able to seek and achieve total actualization of her skills and commitment to children. She used the facility as the nexus for exposure, teaching, and learning experiences for students pursuing early childhood development careers. Work experience programs flourished for local high schools. Local colleges used the facility for observation and practicum involvements for their students. Schools as far away as Corvallis (OSU) participated.

Jessie Mae became President of the Volunteers' Women's Club, and later served on the advisory board for many years. She was nominated by the Women's Club for a “Woman of Dedication” award, for outstanding service in nursery work. She was subsequently selected and honored by the Portland Federation of Women organization, the sponsors of the award.

Jessie Mae, in spite of experiencing years of psychological abuse and personal indignities suffered while living under the “Jim Crow” system in Mississippi, was totally color blind. She saw everyone as she saw and treated children. She treated everyone with respect. She was a member of an interracial study group for twenty years. She reached out to everyone in her advocacy for children and Civil Rights. She became such a force in the city of Portland that she was inundated with requests to serve on many of the community's agencies' boards. She turned down few as she saw board participation gave her the opportunity to leverage her advocacy and causes to the broadest community possible.

In the mid-60s Jessie Mae was one of the founding members and president of Links, Inc. Links is a prestigious national Black women's organization. Its charter is dedicated to be active in their respective communities as role models, mentors, volunteers for community service – youth being one of their focuses. This organization today is quite active and is a positive force in the Portland community.

In 1967 Jessie Mae was named as one of the 10 women of accomplishment by the Oregon Journal and publisher William W. Knight. Her area of accomplishment was child welfare. The citation read:

“Jessie Mae Johnson -- Supervisor of the Volunteers of America Day Nursery, member of the Community Council's Day Care Committee and Portland Association of Nursery Education, Officer and Participant in Women's Organizations, and quiet and unassuming proponent of the rights and welfare of Portland's Negro Community, particularly its young people –is honored for her past and continuing activity in developing opportunities for small children to learn.”

In 1972, Governor Tom McCall, governor of the State of Oregon, appointed Jessie Mae as a member of “the Governor's Committee on the Status of Women, for a term ending May 31, 1975.”

Jessie Mae's home was an extension of her enormous generosity, as she hosted foreign students and Black officials who traveled to Portland to attend meetings. At that time they were not allowed lodging in the Portland hotels. Her home was host to numerous club and board meetings and there was an open door to the many friends of her son and his family. She had an old Black Southern people saying that said “We will divide.” Poor Blacks in the South would always divide whatever resources they had  regardless of its meagerness.

In summary, Jessie Mae Johnson was a tireless, selfless and dedicated woman who reached out to everyone in an effort to make life better, especially for children, but for everyone, regardless of race, gender or class. She respected and dearly loved everyone unconditionally. She enjoyed the luxury of never having to shoulder the burden of hate! 

Written by Ben Johnson