Deborah Tompkins Johnson interviewed by Margaret M. Mulrooney, Session 2, 2024

Creator:

Johnson, Deborah Tompkins, Mulrooney, Margaret M., 1966-, and Mulrooney, Margaret M., 1966-

Extent:

7.6 Gigabytes 1 digital file and 01:36:06 Duration (HH:MM:SS.mmm)

Scope and content:

Records the second part of an interview with Deborah Tompkins Johnson, exploring aspects of her career and contributions as a distinguished alumna. Topics include her service on the Board of Visitors between 1998-1994, her memories of the growth and transformation of JMU in the early 1990s, and her involvement in alumni organizations. She also discusses her reappointment by President Alger nearly a decade after her earlier term ended. She reflects on the President's task Force on Racial Equity, which she cochaired, and shares her thoughts on how the experiences of contemporary students compare to her own days at Madison College.

Language:

English

Biographical / historical:

Deborah Tompkins Johnson was born March 4, 1956, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and was raised in Petersburg, Virginia. As a student, she was among those who integrated Petersburg High School. She enrolled at Madison College, attending from 1974 to 1978, where she studied communications (radio, television, and film). During her time at Madison College, she was active in several Black student organizations, including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Contemporary Gospel Choir, and the Black Student Alliance (BSA), serving as BSA president during her senior year.

Following her graduation in 1978, Johnson taught before pursuing a career in broadcast journalism. In 1988, she was appointed to the James Madison University Board of Visitors, becoming the first Black woman to serve in that role; she served until 1994 and again from 2015 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2023. In 1990, she co-founded the university's Black Alumni Chapter and has remained active, including participation in the Ole School Alumni Student Group. Johnson received the Inez Roop Alumni Service Award in 1995. In recognition of a gift made by Johnson and her family in the early 2000s, the entry area of the Leeolou Alumni Center was named the Tompkins Hall of Distinction.

Physical facet:

(.mov)

Dimensions:

1920 x 1080

Names:

Johnson, Deborah Tompkins
Mulrooney, Margaret M., 1966-

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