Johnson, Walter. Papers, 1939-1961

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Politics, Public Policy and Political Reform

Chicago and Illinois

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(Thomas) Walter Johnson, 1915-1985

Known more commonly as Walter Johnson he was a noted historian and political organizer and analyst. Specializing in progressive politics, Johnson argued that the problems posed by WWII meant that there could be no division between his academic and political careers. He felt that his generation had a responsibility to democracy and that meant that the academic "ivory tower" could not stay isolated.

Born in Nahant, Mass in Jan 1915, Johnson earned his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth in 1937. He then began a lengthy relationship with the University of Chicago where he received his master's degree in 1938 and his PhD in History in 1941.

Married to Catherine Dunning, Johnson joined the U of C staff in July 1940 before he was finished with his degree. He rose through the ranks until 1950 when he made full professor. Johnson served as the Chairman of the History Department between 1950 and 1961and in that period he assisted in bringing important figures to the University, such as Hannah Gray, a president who prioritized academics at the University and Professor John Hope Franklin, one of the leading African American historians of the time.

In 1943, at the age of 27, Johnson intended to enter the military but failed the physical exams. Determined to serve in some way, he ran for the Alderman post vacated by Paul Douglas when he joined the marines. Johnson stated, "Those of us who in a military fashion cannot join with the rest of the generation, have the duty on the home front of fighting vigorously and continuously for democracy in local, state and national governments." Just as Douglas had done, Johnson ran as an independent candidate for 5th Ward Alderman with the support of U of C professors such Sophonisba Breckinridge, William T. Hutchinson, John U. Nef, and Robert Redfield. He said, "I am an instructor of American History fighting for a decent government against the Kelly-Nash machine," repeatedly pointing out that he was the only candidate in the alderman race to stand against Mayor Kelley. After losing the election Johnson firmly believed that Kelly had purchased the alderman position for Bertrand Moss; revealing that Moss spent $10,000.00 on the election while he spent only $2000.00.

Johnson's involvement in national politics started when he began making unofficial 'stump" speeches for Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940. He also assisted in both of Douglas' campaigns for a senate seat in 1942 and 1948, serving as the chairman of Douglas' speakers committee in 1940. Additionally Johnson worked at the Downstate Director of the Independent Voters Committees in Illinois. In 1952 and 1953 Johnson spearheaded the movement to draft Adlai Stevenson as a presidential candidate through his position as the Co-Chairman of the National Stevenson Campaign. Although Stevenson did not win, Johnson published the political guide, How we drafted Adlai Stevenson and edited an eight volume edition of Stevenson's papers.

Johnson spent 1957-1958 as the Vyvan Harmsworth Professor of American History at Oxford which led to the publication of American studies abroad: progress and difficulties in selected countries; a special report by Walter Johnson, while he was a member for United States Advisory Commission on International Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Johnson continued with political organizing in 1961 when he was the Co-Chairman of the Paul Simon For Senator Committee.

The U of C honored Johnson by bestowing the Preston and Sterling Morton Professorship of History upon him in 1963. He continued in that prestigious post until 1966, when he left the University of Chicago for the University of Hawaii in Honolulu from which he retired in 1982.

Although Johnson's dissertation was not published until 1947, as William Allen White's America, it reveals that his early interest in progressive politics, as examined through the actions of William Allen White, led him to his later intellectual and political interests and activities. This interest has been handed down through the publication of books discussing America during WWII and an influential text book, The United States: Experiment in Democracy (with Avery Craven), popular among high school teachers. Additionally, Johnson's study of the presidency, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (1960) developed the concept of the "imperial presidency."

Johnson passed away in Michigan in 1985 and was remembered by his friend and colleague Norton Ginsburg (Professor of Geography at U of C), "He was a genuine compassionate, outgoing, friendly giant of a man who was marvelous with his students."

The Walter Johnson papers contain correspondence, speeches, campaign literature, newspaper clippings, and press releases. Most of the materials in the collection reflect Johnson's involvement in politics, including his bid to become alderman of the Fifth Ward of Chicago (1939), Paul Douglas's campaign (1939) for alderman of the Fifth Ward, Paul Simon's campaign (1961) for the U.S. Senate, and the Raymond S. McKeough-Benjamin S. Adamowski campaigns (1942) for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives respectively.

The following related resources are located in the Department of Special Collections:

• Names
  • Johnson, Walter, 1915-
  • Douglas, Paul Howard, 1892-
  • Adamowski, Benjamin S.
  • McKeough, Raymond
  • Simon, Paul, 1928-
• Subject
  • Political campaigns-Illinois
  • Political campaigns