06/19/2026
In honor of Juneteenth, meet Henry Lincoln Johnson, one of the many U-M alumni impacted by the history of slavery.
Born in Georgia to parents who had been formerly enslaved, Johnson traveled to Michigan to study law in 1890. He arrived in Ann Arbor many years before the Law Quad ever existed.
U-M's Law building back then, where he attended classes, was located near the corner of the Diag between South State Street and North University Avenue. He was one of few Black students at the time, and it was likely a lonely experience. After graduating in June of 1891, and passing the bar in Georgia, Johnson went on to become an influential lawyer and politician.
He was appointed by President William Howard Taft as the Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia. However, he faced discrimination in his work. When he was renominated as Recorder of Deeds under President Warren Harding, his nomination was defeated due to a vocal group of white politicians who resented his influence.
Today marks the anniversary of the day many enslaved African Americans finally gained freedom. On this day, we remember Henry Lincoln Johnson, and everyone harmed by slavery's terrible legacy.
