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What is the Johnson Legacy Project?
To honor the legacies of John H. and Eunice W. Johnson, Columbia College Chicago has created a national fundraising effort—part of a $100 million comprehensive campaign umbrella titled This is Columbia’s Moment. The Johnson Legacy Project has garnered support from citizens across the United States devoted to preserving the memory of these American icons.
Why Does This Matter?Why this matters
President Carter's Vision
Welcome to the Johnson Legacy Project, a national fundraising effort to preserve the legacies of John H. and Eunice W. Johnson, cultural icons who changed the face of media, fashion, and publishing, and became an inspiration to citizens nationwide.
Read MoreCampaign Priorities
- preserve the iconic EBONY/JET sign on top of the building
- create an endowment that will support the maintenance of the John H. and Eunice W. Johnson Center, which will house Columbia’s library and digital archives
- honor the achievements of John H. Johnson through the creation of a John H. Johnson 11th Floor Commemorative Office Exhibit
- establish scholarships for deserving students
History
Project Team
Project Architect: The Freelon Group & Gensler
An architectural pioneer in projects devoted to sustainability, the arts, and strengthening understanding between disparate cultures, The Freelon Group caught Columbia College’s attention almost immediately. Founded in 1990 by Philip G. Freelon, the firm was selected as the Johnson Legacy Project’s lead architect after demonstrating, above so many others, a commitment to environmentally considerate designs that are rich in technological integration yet deeply sensitive to cultural history and expression.
Read MoreNational Steering Committee
Andrew Young
Honorary Co-Chair,
former UN Ambassador
Linda Johnson Rice
Honorary Co-Chair,
Chairwoman of the Johnson Publishing Company
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- Dr. Eric Winston, Vice President, Institutional Advancement
- Michael Anderson, Associate Vice President
- Chandra Dennis, Senior Director of Development
- Kelly Kovreg, Director of Special Projects
- Jim Feldstein, Consultant
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- Allen M. Turner, Chairman of the Board, Columbia College Chicago
- Warrick L. Carter, PhD, President, Columbia College Chicago
- Frank Clark, Ret. Chairman/CEO of ComED
- Lester Coney, Senior Vice President, Mesirow Financial
- John Edelman, Managing Director, Edelman
- Martin Nesbitt, President/CEO, The Parking Spot
- James Reynolds, Jr., Chairman/CEO, Loop Capital Markets
- John W. Rogers, Jr., Chairman/CEO, Ariel Investments
- Eric V.A. Winston, PhD, Vice President Institutional Advancement, Columbia College Chicago
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- Xernona Clayton, Founder/President/CEO, Trumpet Awards Foundation, Inc.
- Curley M. Dossman, Jr., President, Georgia-Pacific Foundation
- Julius H. Hollis, Chairman/Founder, Alliance for Digital Equality (ADE)
- Keisha Carter Noel, Arts Patron & Philanthropist
- H. Jerome Russell, President, H.J. Russell & Company
- Stephanie Russell, Arts Patron & Philanthropist
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- John Morning, Co-Chair of the President's Council, Columbia College Chicago
- Rhonda R. Mims , President, ING Foundation
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- Cathy Hughes, Founder, Radio One
Updates & Progress
Recent Updates
- Phil Freelon, CEO of Freelon Group, is selected as the lead architect for the Johnson Publishing Building.
- Introduced the Johnson Legacy Project to Atlanta Corporate Community stakeholders at a spring luncheon.
- Premiered the new Johnson Legacy Project video.
- Georgia-Pacific Foundation pledged a $50,000 gift for the John H. Johnson Entrepreneurship Scholarship Fund
- Fashion Columbia, chaired by Johnson Publishing Company CEO, Desiree Rogers, raised $100,000 to create the Eunice W. Johnson Scholarship in Fashion Studies
- On December 7, 2012, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Marshall Field, Richard Kiphart and Sylvia Neil co-chaired the Open Doors Gala
Progress
- Project Milestones
- Fundraising Events
- Campaign Barometer (coming soon)
- Testimonials (coming soon)
- Virtual Tour (coming soon)
Get Involved
Your support of the Johnson Legacy Project ensures that the memory of John H. and Eunice W. Johnson—two of history’s cultural and civil rights heroes—is carried far into the future. Whether you choose to support the Johnson Legacy Project’s programming, scholarships, or capital endeavors, your gift makes a difference, and helps guarantee that the legacy of these great American figures is treasured and celebrated.
Volunteer
If you would like to host a community project or gathering, or volunteer your support for the Johnson Legacy Project in some other way, we are more than happy to assist you.
Corporate and Community Partnership
If your company or foundation is interested in any of the funding priorities for the Johnson Legacy Project, please contact Chandra Dennis.
Subscribe
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Contact Us
If you would like to request more information about the Johnson Legacy Project,
please contact Chandra Dennis by calling 312.369.7795 or send an email to cdennis@colum.edu.