CHARLES JOHNSON APPOINTED INTERIM DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT

Upon the counsel of General Superintendent J. K. Warrick and the Board of General Superintendents, Dr. Charles Johnson has been named the interim district superintendent of the Mississippi District.

Dr. Charles Johnson is a native of Orlando, Florida. He came to Meridian, Mississippi in 1961, having graduated from the Nazarene Bible College in Institute, West Virginia, and did further studies in Church Planting at Fuller Institute, Pasadena, CA. He completed Management Training at O.I.C. Academy of Management Training. Dr. Johnson received an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Johnson founded the Meridian Action Committee, the local Civil Rights group that helped to desegregate the lunch counters, restaurants, and movie theaters during the Civil Rights era. Under his leadership, the Meridian Action Committee helped to break down discrimination in hiring practices in local department stores, grocery stores and convenient stores. The Meridian Action Committee used boycotts and picketing to accomplish these victories. Dr. Johnson led the picketing of Meridian City Hall against police brutality until policemen stopped beating blacks unmercifully.

Dr. Johnson has been active as a revival and camp meeting speaker. In 1982, he was appointed National Ethnic Consultant for Black Evangelism. Johnson was the first Black person to be appointed district chairman of Sunday School Ministries. For many years, Fitkin has lead the district in Sunday School attendance.

Dr. Johnson has pastored the Fitkins Memorial Church of the Nazarene for 43 years, and is married to Shirley Ann.