Karl Ellis Johnson

Karl Ellis Johnson is an Associate Professor of African American Studies and Convener of the Africana Studies Major at Ramapo College of New Jersey. He joined the college in 2002 and holds a B.A. in History and Economics from Rutgers College, an M.A. in History from Rutgers University–Newark, and a Ph.D. in History from Temple University. His research focuses on the African Diaspora, Black Urban Culture, and U.S. Foreign Relations with Africa.

• Education: B.A., Rutgers College; M.A., Rutgers University–Newark; Ph.D., Temple University
• Teaching Interests: African Diaspora, Black Urban Culture, U.S. Foreign Policy toward Africa, and Online Pedagogy

Dr. Johnson’s scholarly work includes books such as Trouble Won’t Last: Postwar Black Philadelphia, Race, and Activism (2012) and When We Were Working Class: The Black Working Class Novel of the 1970s (2017–2018). His articles address topics like police-community relations, urban activism, and African diasporic connections. He has presented at conferences including the Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora in the Dominican Republic.

His courses cover African American history, social issues, and contemporary Africa-U.S. relations. He emphasizes experiential learning through film, urban studies, and digital humanities.