Honored Angeleno has become a historian on Black history

Angeleno has become historian of Black history

Gregory Johnson has been named among the 100 most influential African Americans in LA by the California African American Museum. In addition to his work in the arts in Long Beach, he leads tours to Africa as well.

LONG BEACH, Calif. - From Los Angeles to Africa, Gregory Johnson is a bit of a historian. Johnson is a well-known Angeleno now based in Long Beach who leads tours to Africa.

To know Johnson is to know his history. For two decades, he was the Marketing Director at radio station KJLH, owned by entertainer Stevie Wonder. He noted, it was "founded in 1965. It is the heartbeat of the Black community."

For four consecutive years, Johnson was named among the 100 most influential African Americans in Los Angeles, presented at the California African American Museum.

Now, you'll find Johnson working in the arts in Long Beach as a board member for the non-profit Arts Council for Long Beach. Their last exhibit was a mural that arose out of the civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd.

Johnson has been to Africa more than 20 times. He leads tours to Africa, documenting his journeys and doing interviews along the way. It started with music trips to the Capetown Jazz Festival in South Africa. Trips include emotional tours of Ghana's slave castle.

Per the Tracing Center, "approximately 10 million enslaved people were transported in the transatlantic slave trade, at rates of up to 100,000 persons per year."

Johnson says "we are the greatest hope of our ancesters."