Harlan Johnson was the people’s advocate

More than 200 people of different colors and backgrounds gathered in Rockford Wednesday to laugh, sing, pray and remember.

Anyone who knew Harlan Johnson knows nothing would have made him happier than knowing he was the reason.

Funeral services for Johnson, a longtime peace and justice activist, were held Wednesday at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 920 Third Ave. Johnson died Feb. 25. He was 82.

A Rockford native, Johnson graduated from East High School in 1959 and later from Augustana College. After college, he spent three years in the Peace Corps in India.

By trade Johnson was a 44-year marriage and family therapist and licensed clinical counselor who never retired. Instead, he was driven daily by his passion for racial, social and environmental justice.

Family members said Johnson was someone who never lost his child-like sense of curiosity and who thrived in making connections with others.

His desire for justice and equality was fueled in part by the Rev. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and by author Marshall Rosenberg’s book, “Nonviolent Communications: A Language of Life.”

Johnson was a regular contributor to the Rockford Register Star opinion pages and was active in many organizations and causes including the Interfaith Council, Eliminate Racism 815 and the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. He was a winner of the NAACP 2011 Service Award and served as chairman of the Environmental Justice Team. He also received the Race Unity Award from the Bahai Community, and started the Northern Illinois Institute for the Healing of Racism, Inc.

The Rev. Jim Roberts attended college with Johnson whom he said had a calling for healing.

“He knew how to skillfully expose the hypocrisy and secret agendas,” Roberts said as he read from a letter from The Rev. Kenneth Board, retired pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church. “Harlan was the people’s advocate and as (the late U.S. Rep.) John Lewis coined the phrase, ‘Always looking to get into good trouble.’”

Johnson’s wife of 52 years, Lou Ann, said her husband fought for freedom, justice and equality.

She urged those in attendance to continue Johnson’s legacy by doing the same.

Chris Green is a Rockford Register Star reporter. He can be reached at 815-987-1241, via email at cgreen@rrstar.com and Twitter @chrisfgreen.

Harlan Johnson

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR