John Wesley Johnson, Jr.

John Wesley Johnson, Jr. is an Assistant Professor of History at Saint Peter's University with over twenty years of teaching experience spanning middle school to college levels. He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and M.A. in History from Rutgers University-Newark, and a B.A. from Rutgers College, specializing in 20th century U.S. urban and social history with a focus on race, class, and cultural geography.

Education:

• Ph.D. in American Studies, Rutgers University-Newark
• M.A. in History, Rutgers University-Newark
• B.A., Rutgers College

Dr. Johnson's research centers on the transformation of Newark's Weequahic Section from a predominantly Jewish to majority African American neighborhood in the 1960s, examining impacts of urban renewal, highway construction, and systemic inequities. His work bridges African American History, Urban History, and Public History through community-engaged scholarship, emphasizing how race, class, gender, and ability shape historical narratives and contemporary societal structures.

Scientific Awards:

• Clement A. Price Institute on Ethnicity, Culture, and the Modern Experience Fellow (2015-2016)

As an educator deeply committed to first-generation college students, Dr. Johnson has served as middle school administrator, higher education program coordinator, and residential education director. He advises the John T. Coughlin History Club, Good Time Steppers, and Black Action Committee while teaching courses including The History of Rock to Hip Hop and The Long Civil Rights Movement. His pedagogy prioritizes primary source analysis to challenge fixed historical concepts and examines how identity frameworks influence both historical actors and scholarly interpretations.