Paul B. Johnson Jr.
| Paul B. Johnson Jr. | |
|---|---|
Paul B. Johnson Jr.
|
|
| 54th Governor of Mississippi | |
|
In office January 21, 1964 – January 16, 1968 |
|
| Lieutenant |
Carroll Gartin Vacant |
| Preceded by | Ross R. Barnett |
| Succeeded by | John Bell Williams |
| 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi | |
|
In office January 19, 1960 – January 21, 1964 |
|
| Governor | Ross R. Barnett |
| Preceded by | Carroll Gartin |
| Succeeded by | Carroll Gartin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 23, 1916 Hattiesburg, Mississippi |
| Died | October 14, 1985 (aged 69) Hattiesburg, Mississippi |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Dorothy E. "Dot" Power |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Marine Corps
|
| Battles/wars | |
Paul Burney Johnson Jr. (January 23, 1916 – October 14, 1985) was an American attorney and Democratic politician from Mississippi, serving as governor from 1964 until January 1968. He was a son of former Mississippi Governor Paul B. Johnson Sr.
Paul B. Johnson Jr. grew up in a political family, as his father was a notable Democratic Party leader, serving as US Congressman from 1919 to 1923. The younger Johnson had an affectionate reverence for Franklin D. Roosevelt based on the days of his Congressman father's friendship with the then-Assistant Secretary of the Navy. (The families' children knew each other). In 1938, Johnson, Sr. was elected as Governor of Mississippi, dying in office in 1943.
Johnson attended local schools, which were segregated under Jim Crow laws. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he met his college sweetheart Dorothy Power. During his first year at Ole Miss, he was a member of the freshman Ole Miss football team and was initiated into Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity. He had the distinction of being the only sophomore ever elected as president of the Ole Miss student body. He also graduated from Ole Miss Law and passed the bar exam.
Johnson became a practicing attorney in Jackson and Hattiesburg. After starting his career, he married Dorothy Power in 1941. They had a family together.
During World War II, Johnson served in the South Pacific with the United States Marine Corps. Upon his release from the service, Johnson wanted to enter politics. He gained an appointment as the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi from 1948 to 1951.
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