Krista Johnson

Dr. Krista Johnson is a Professor and Director of the Center for African Studies at Howard University, leading initiatives in African political studies and global health governance. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern University (2002) and has extensive experience through Fulbright Fellowships, visiting scholar roles at South African universities, and NEH funding for her book project on African-American scholars in International Relations. Her research focuses on health policy, social movements, and decolonizing international relations theory.

Dr. Johnson has received major fellowships including the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship (2021) partnering with the University of Johannesburg, and the NEH Faculty Fellowship (2019). She teaches courses on contemporary African issues, public health development, and gender theory. Her recent work critiques racialized frameworks in international history and explores post-pandemic societal重构 through African scholarly perspectives.

Grants and institutional partnerships include a $3M award for Africa-focused education expansion, and collaborations with South African academic institutions. She actively engages in media discussions about HBCUs and U.S. electoral dynamics through platforms like Voice of America and Newzroom Afrika.