William A. Johnson Jr.
William A. Johnson Jr. is an American politician who served as the 64th Mayor of the City of Rochester, New York. He was the first African-American mayor in the city's history. Early life and education. Johnson is a native of Lynchburg, Virginia. He earned a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science from Howard University. Career. Prior to his election as mayor, Johnson served for 21 years as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Rochester, responsible for developing and overseeing programs and project in education, youth development, family services, employment  training, and affordable housing. Tenure. He was first elected in November 1993, receiving over 72 percent of the vote. It was his first run for any political office, and he succeeded a 20-year incumbent. Johnson was the city's first African-American mayor. In November 1997, Johnson was re-elected without opposition. In November 2001, he was re-elected to a third term with over 78 percent of the vote. Johnson announced during that campaign that he would not seek a fourth term. In 1999, Johnson was named the United States' Local Public Official of the Year by "Governing  Magazine". In 2004, he was a finalist for the World Mayor Prize. Johnson spearheaded the "Spirit of Ontario I" fast ferry service between Rochester and Toronto. First approved in 2001, the fast ferry service began in 2004 but was plagued by numerous operational and financial issues, stopping service multiple times, until Johnson's successor Robert Duffy shut down the service for good in 2006, with the city selling the "Spirit of Ontario" in 2007. The venture ultimately put the city of Rochester $40 million in debt. The ferry's terminal building in Charlotte, which still stands today, was named  after Johnson in 2018, which was seen as an "insult" to his legacy by journalist Bob Lonsberry. Johnson retired as Mayor in 2005 and became Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Other political ventures. In 2003, Johnson ran unsuccessfully for Monroe County Executive on a platform of fiscal responsibility and regional cooperation and innovation. In 2011, after a tumultuous period in which the City of Rochester had three different mayors in three weeks after having only three mayors in the previous thirty-seven years, Johnson ran again for Mayor in a special election to serve  the remainder of the term of Robert Duffy, who resigned. As the Independence Party of New York and Working Families Party candidate, Johnson lost to Democrat Tom Richards. Johnson garnered more votes than any previous candidate in New York State on the Working Family Party's ticket.