Van R. Johnson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Van R. Johnson
67th Mayor of Savannah, Georgia
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2020
Preceded by	Eddie DeLoach
Savannah City Alderman
In office January 2004 – December 31, 2019
Preceded by	David Jones
Succeeded by	Bernetta Lanier
Constituency	1st District
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Savannah State University (BS) Georgia Southern University (MPA)

Van R. Johnson (born 1968) is an American politician who has served as the mayor of Savannah, Georgia since 2020. He is the fourth African-American mayor in the city's history. Before becoming mayor, he served four terms as alderman for the Savannah City Council's 1st District.

Early life and education

Johnson was born and raised in Brownsville and Crown Heights, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. He is the oldest child of the late Van R. Johnson, a Army veteran, law enforcement officer and general construction contractor and Cynthia E. Johnson, a licensed certified social worker and licensed practical nurse.

Johnson attended New York City Public Schools and graduated from Erasmus Hall High School at age 16 and enrolled in Savannah State University, the oldest public historically Black college and university in the state of Georgia. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1990 and a master's degree in public administration from Georgia Southern University.

Johnson is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. fraternity, having been initiated into its Beta Phi Lambda chapter in 1991.

Career

After college, Johnson worked as a Chatham County Police Officer, Chatham County Sheriff's Reserve Deputy and later, assistant director of human resources for Savannah's Chatham County.

Political Career

As a political newcomer, Johnson defeated Alderman David Jones, a 12 year incumbent for the 1st District seat in Savannah, GA.

From 2004 to 2019, he served as alderman for the Savannah City Council’s 1st District, additionally serving as mayor pro tem and vice chair during his tenure. He unseated incumbent Eddie DeLoach in the 2019 Savannah mayoral election and was sworn in as mayor on January 1, 2020. In November 2020, Mayor Johnson was elected among 16 Biden-Harris electors from Georgia for the Electoral College in the 2020 Presidential Election. On November 7, 2023, he was re-elected mayor of Savannah with 77% of the vote against Kesha Gibson-Carter and T.L. Davis.