Reverend Floyd Daniel Johnson and Sweetie C. Johnson papers, Zion Temple Missionary Baptist Church archives

Biographical/Historical note

Rev. F.D. Johnson and his wife, Sweetie C. Johnson, were leaders in the National Baptist Convention from the 1940s through the 1980s. Rev. Johnson was the pastor of Zion Temple M.B. Church in Chicago, and served for over 20 years as the President of the National Baptist Convention’s Foreign Missionary Board.

Floyd D. Johnson Biographical Note

Floyd Daniel Johnson (September 9, 1905-June 1999) was born in Lavernia, Texas to Matthew and Annie Johnson. He was the youngest of three children and the only son. Johnson attended Conroe Normal and Industrial College in Conroe, Texas. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1925 and later received an honorary doctorate from the same institution. Floyd helped pay for his education by traveling the country as lead tenor of the Invincible Four Quartet.

Floyd Johnson married Sweetie C. Johnson in 1928 and moved to Chicago, Illinois. The couple had two daughters, Luvenia George and Violet Payne. The Johnsons also adopted a son, William Lee Journey.

After moving to Chicago, Floyd Johnson was ordained at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in 1933. In 1938, he became pastor of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, Illinois while also pastor of Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Harrisburg, Illinois, he served both churches concurrently from 1941-1943.

Reverend Johnson‘s third position as pastor was at Zion Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois beginning in August 1943. In 1989, he retired after 47 years.

In addition to his work as a pastor, Reverend Johnson was very involved in a number of Baptist organizations, especially the National Baptist Convention. He served on the Foreign Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention of America for over thirty years. The Foreign Mission Board is the foreign missions branch of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., and supports mission stations in Africa, the Caribbean and Central America. Reverend Johnson served as a board member in 1945, as recording secretary from 1951-1954, and as chairman from 1954-1976. His twenty-two year tenure was the longest of any Foreign Mission Board Chairman.

As part of his work with the Foreign Mission Board, Reverend Johnson made many mission trips to Jamaica, Panama, Haiti and Liberia to help establish churches and mission schools. Under his chairmanship, the Foreign Mission Board provided spiritual and financial support to a Liberian mission located in Greenville, Sinoe County. From 1959-1971 significant building construction was completed and evangelism undertaken. In addition to the mission work in Liberia, the Caribbean was also an important area of missionary development. The Foreign Mission Board focused on building churches and schools in Jamaica from 1949-1974. The National Baptist Publishing Board provided support for Panama and the Bahamas before turning the missions over to the Foreign Mission Board in 1956. Several missions were also started in Haiti in 1958, but the political instability of the country made it impossible for missionaries to remain there after 1963.

Other Baptist organizations with which Reverend Johnson was involved were Baptist Pastor’s Council (1944); Foreign Mission Board of the Illinois State Missionary and Education Convention (1945-1970s); Baptist Ministers Alliance of Chicago and Vicinity (1948); National Sunday School and Baptist Young People’s Congress (1950s).

Sweetie C. Johnson Biographical Note

Sweetie Carrie Johnson was born to Luvenia and Charles Johnson in Natchitoches, Louisiana on October 16, 1914, the eldest of five daughters and one half-brother. She graduated from high school in DeRidder, Louisiana, from college at Lampton College in Alexandria, Louisiana, and received a teaching certificate from the Louisiana State Board of Education. Sweetie Johnson taught grade school in Louisiana for three years before marrying Floyd D. Johnson and moving to Chicago in 1928. In Chicago, the Johnsons had two daughters, Luvenia George and Violet Payne, and adopted a son, William Lee Journey.

Sweetie Johnson received a cosmetology certificate in Chicago and worked part-time from home until Reverend Johnson began his position as pastor of the Zion Temple Missionary Baptist Church in 1943. At that time, Johnson returned to school at the Chicago Baptist Institute. She graduated in 1947 with a degree in Christian Education; and in 1960 she received an additional religious education certificate from Moody Bible Institute.

Called the “First Lady of Zion Temple,” Sweetie Johnson was heavily involved in the Zion Temple Missionary Baptist Church’s organizations and held multiple positions; she was chairman of the Christian Education Department, supervisor of the FD Johnson Choral Group for over twenty-five years, president of the Minister’s Wives Club, and teacher of the Senior Adult Sunday School Class, among numerous other positions in the church’s clubs and organizations.

In addition to her many roles at Zion Temple Missionary Baptist Church, Sweetie was heavily involved in national Baptist organizations as well. She was nationally known and featured as a dynamic Women's Day Speaker, fulfilling numerous engagements every year both locally and nationally. Additionally, she was a member of the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, a denominational agency located in Washington, D. C. Sweetie was also involved in the National Baptist Convention of America. She was the Second Vice President of the Women's Missionary Auxiliary Number Two, an organization that was part of the National Baptist Convention. Additionally, she served as the first President of the Junior Women’s Convention of Illinois, a position she held for seventeen years.

Sweetie Carrie Johnson died after a short illness on October 24, 1988.

Zion Temple Missionary Baptist Church Historical Note

The Zion Temple Missionary Baptist Church (ZTMBC) was formed in 1932 by a group of 18 Christian workers. Its first pastor, Dr. William Cosey, was elected the same night the church was formed. The initial membership of 80 persons grew rapidly, and the congregation outgrew its first church building at 4601 State Street within four years. In 1936, the congregation moved to a larger church at 649 E. 48th Street, dubbed “The Center” by members. Dr. Cosey passed away in 1941 and conflict between his widow and the congregation led the building to be boarded up and members barred from entering during the winter of 1941-1942. Reverend Pleas Watkins was elected interim pastor in early 1942 until Reverend Floyd D. Johnson was hired in August 1943. Under the guidance of Reverend Johnson, the congregation again outgrew its building and moved into a new church at 4800 S. Langley Avenue. In 1955, Zion Temple was chosen to host to the Diamond Jubilee of the National Baptist Convention of America. In February 1959 the building on Langley was destroyed by fire. Unable to build a new church the congregation held services at Antioch Baptist Church until a new building was erected at 7010 S. Union Avenue and dedicated on May 20, 1960. Dr. Charles W. Baker succeeded Reverend Floyd Johnson as pastor of Zion Temple in 1989 upon Reverend Johnson’s retirement.