6 A giant among men’
Victor “Vic” Johnson dies at age 85
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Former educator and
longtime member of the
Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County Board of Educa
tion, Victor “Vic” John
son died last week from
complications from CO-
VID-19. Johnson, 85, was
recently infected with the
virus and was being treated
at Forsyth Medical Center
when he passed away on
Wednesday, Jan. 21.
While most people
knew him as a member
of the board of education,
the legend of Vic Johnson
began in 1960. On Feb. 23,
1960, Johnson and ten of
his classmates from Win
ston-Salem Teacher’s Col
lege (now Winston-Salem
State University), and 10
students from Wake Forest
College (now Wake Forest
University) staged a sit-in
at a local lunch counter
downtown. The courage of
the students led to deseg
regation of all lunch coun
ters in the city.
Johnson graduated
from Atkins High School
and served three years in
the U.S. Army before at
tending Winston-Salem
Teacher’s College. After
graduating in 1961 with
a bachelor’s of science
degree in elementary edu
cation, Johnson started
Submitted photo
Victor “Vic” Johnson (right) is recognized by Elwood Robinson, Chancellor of Winston-Salem State University
during the 60th anniversary of the start of the sit-in movement in downton Winston-Salem.
working for the local
school system as a teacher
at Paisley Middle School
while working on a mas
ter’s degree in education
at N.C. A&T State Univer
sity. He stayed at Paisley
for a decade before mov
ing on to North Forsyth
High School in 1971. In
1983 Johnson was named
assistant principal at Carv
er High School, where he
stayed until he retired.
Johnson joined the
school board in 1996 and
served as the representa
tive for District A until
2018. Johnson’s commit
ment to education and up
lifting young people con
tinued through retirement.
He was a regular volunteer
at several schools through
out the district and spon
sored an annual golf clinic
for children who have nev
er played the game.
When discussing the
clinic and his passion for
uplifting young people
with The Chronicle in
2018, Johnson said, “My
motto when I left school
was ‘enter to learn, go out
and serve,’ and that’s what
I have tried to do the last
40-some years.” For his
service to the community,
Johnson was awarded the
Order of the Long Leaf
Pine, one of the most pres
tigious awards presented
by the governor of North
Carolina to individuals
who have a proven record
of “extraordinary service
to the state.”
Before presenting
Johnson with the award,
N.C. House Representa
tive Donny Lambeth said
Johnson was dedicated
to making life better for
people.
“Anyone who has
lived, worked or attended
school in Winston-Salem
recognizes the name Vic
Johnson. Throughout his
life, he has served to make
life better for the citizens
of Forsyth County,” Lam
beth said. “His name suits
him well - ‘Victor’ - a
champion and a hero to
many.”
Dozens of people took
to social media to send
condolences to the John
son family. Sheriff Bobby
Kimbrough, who attended
North when Johnson was
there, said his former prin
cipal was a giant among
men.
“Mr. Victor Johnson
- A Giant Among Men,”
Kimbrough wrote. “He
served, led and impacted
so many of us. He was my
principal at North Forsyth
High School. He was my
encourager as a young boy
and as a seasoned profes
sional. He is the man who
taught me how to use the
sticks in golf. We are sad
dened because of his tran
sition; yet I am comforted
knowing that he is not with
us physically, but always
in our hearts as he exists
among the other greats
spiritually. Yes he was a
giant among men.”
For Coach McRae, it’s all about the kids
BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY
THE CHRONICLE
When a coach takes in
terest in your athletic suc
cess, off the field activities,
and how well you do in the
classroom, you know they
truly care about your well-
being. As a youth football
coach, Juan McRae not
only believes in those ide
als, he lives them.
McRae has been a
youth football coach for
nearly two decades. Dur
ing that time, he has
coached for several orga
nizations around the area
such as the South Fork
Panthers, Kernersville
Warriors, Winston-Salem
Falcons and the Winston-
Salem Steelers.
Football has been a part
of McRae’s life since he
was eight years old when
he began playing Pop War
ner. His coaching career
began by chance as he was
checking out organizations
for his son to play in.
“My oldest son was
talking about playing flag
football, so 1 tried hang
ing around the football
field to see exactly what
Photo by Alphonso Abbott Jr.
McRae enjoys building relationships with his players as much as he enjoys coaching
them.
organization I wanted him
to play with, because he
wasn’t old enough to play
yet,” McRae said about
his start in coaching. “I
started hanging out at the
Falcons field and Scott
Walker, league representa
tive of the Winston-Salem
Falcons, saw me out there
looking and said I should
coach, and I didn’t even
know the guy at the time.
“So, I reached out
to my uncle, who had
coached before, and he
said he would help me.
Me, him and another guy
got us a little flag team
with the Falcons, because
they already had the kids
and everything and that
was the year I started.”
His first year coaching
was with five- and six-
See McRae on A8
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