serviceyears branch death_date allegiance birth_date appointer term_end alma_mater death_place battles term_start spouse name predecessor birth_place party office successor article_title birth_name
1939 -- 1945 united states 23 july 1999 united states 30 october 1918 jimmy carter dwight eisenhower october 21 , 1979 june 21 , 1979 30 , 1991 october 1 , 1981 june university of alabama , tuscaloosa montgomery , alabama , u.s. world war ii october 29 , 1966 october 22 , 1955 1 , 1981 june 21 , 1979 june ruth frank johnson seat established seat established position established charles kennamer haleyville , alabama , u.s. republican judge the eleventh circuit judge of the united states court of of appeals for the fifth circuit chief judge of the united the states district court for the middle district of alabama judge united of the united states district court for the middle district states of alabama court of appeals for edward carnes seat abolished robert varner myron thompson frank minis johnson
 frank minis johnson , jr.
frank minis johnson

frank minis johnson , jr. -lrb- october 30 , 1918july 23 , 1999 -rrb- was a united states federal judge , serving 1955 to 1999 at the district and appeals court levels .
he made landmark civil rights rulings that helped end segregation and disenfranchisement of african americans in the south .
in the words of journalist and historian bill moyers , judge johnson `` altered forever the face of the south . ''
