Walter Johnson

Walter Johnson (June 27, 1915 – June 14, 1985) was a noted historian of the United States and a political scientist, who believed that given political developments in post-Second World War America, there should be no strict separation between academics and politics. He was a political progressive who believed his generation had a special responsibility to democracy. Education Johnson began his education at Dartmouth College where he took a B.A. in 1937. He then undertook graduate work at the University of Chicago where he earned an M.A. in 1938 and his Ph.D. in history in 1941. Academic career Johnson's first academic post was that of instructor of history at the University of Chicago between 1940 and 1943. He then assumed the post of assistant professor at the same university (1943–49) then associate professor (1949–50) and professor of history (1950–66). From 1963 to 1966, Johnson held an endowned chair: the Preston and Sterling Morton Professor of History. From 1950 to 1961, he also served as the chair of the university's history department. As chair of the history department, Johnson assisted in bringing important figures to the university. These included Hannah Gray who served as president of the university, and prominent historian John Hope Franklin. One of Johnson's graduate students, who went on to become a prominent historian of the United States, was Athan Theoharis. Johnson was the Harold Vyvyan Harmsworth Professor of American History at Oxford University during the 1957–58 academic year. In 1966-1982 he was a professor of history at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu. In 1982-1985 he was a visiting professor of history at Grand Valley State College in Allendale, Michigan.