EDITORIAL: Grantland Johnson leaves a proud legacy
By The Sacramento Bee | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Johnson, who died Tuesday at age 65, is described as a trailblazer. That doesn't quite do him justice, though he did break barriers.
Elected to the
Yet he also transcended racial lines and built bridges among diverse communities. Committed to helping all the less fortunate, he led the charge for affordable housing. And he didn't shy from disagreeing with other black leaders.
For instance, as Regional Transit board chairman, Johnson backed the removal of the agency's black leader due to declining bus service. "That took a level of courage that damn few people ever exhibit in life," former Mayor
Even in elected office, he never lost the activism of his college years, as recounted by The Bee's
He also made a mark in state and federal government. In 1993, he joined the Clinton administration as Western regional director of the
With that record of public service, it's no wonder that Congresswoman
While revered, he wasn't remote. Just as former Mayor
Politicians come and go. Few leave a real legacy.
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