Eddie Bernice Johnson, a revolutionary and lifelong representative for the United States of America, passed away on Sunday. Johnson was a nurse from Texas who was the most prominent Democrat in the Dallas area. She was instrumental in bringing hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government to the area. Her age was 88.
Following her son’s post on Facebook regarding her passing, a number of prominent figures, including President Joe Biden, Mayor Eric Johnson of Dallas, and others, expressed statements regarding her passing. The Dallas Morning News also confirmed her passing by speaking with a source close to the family who wished to remain anonymous. The cause of death was not established.
Vice President Biden commended her “immense courage” while also describing her as “an icon and mentor to generations of public servants, through whom her legacy of resilience and purpose will endure.”
“She was the single most effective legislator Dallas has ever had,” the mayor said in a statement. “She was that very effective.” Nobody was able to bring extra money from the federal government to our community for infrastructure. There was no one who worked more ardently for our towns, the interests of our inhabitants, and their safety. When it came to the people of Dallas, nobody knew how to negotiate Washington more effectively than they did.
After becoming the first Black chief mental nurse at Dallas’ Veterans Affairs hospital and the first registered nurse to be elected to Congress, Eddie Bernice Johnson had a long and successful career in the House of Representatives, where she served for thirty years. In the years that followed, she made history by being the first Black woman to chair the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. In addition, she was the leader of the Congressional Black Caucus. After continually postponing her retirement, she finally stepped down from her position in January. She was a member of the Texas legislature prior to her election to Congress.
“For three decades, Chairwoman Johnson was a powerful force in the United States Congress, always focused on the future,” House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said in a statement, praising Johnson as “a tenacious trailblazer, a talented legislator, and a devoted public servant.” Pelosi also praised Johnson for her dedication to the public.
Johnson made use of her position as the committee’s head to battle against the efforts of Republicans to obstruct action on climate change. Johnson was also “a fierce advocate for expanding STEM opportunities to Black and minority students,” according to the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Steven Horsford. Johnson was also instrumental in assisting the administration of Vice President Joe Biden in passing a significant package of incentives for computer chip manufacturers.
Waco is where she was born, and she spent her childhood in the segregated South. In 2019, the Union Station in Dallas, which had previously been segregated, was renamed in her honor.
Having personal experience with racism was a driving force behind her decision to become politically active. She stated that the officials at the VA hospital were disappointed to learn that she was of African descent after they recruited her without first seeing her. As a result, they revoked their offer for her to reside in a dorm on campus. She stated in an interview with The Dallas Morning News in the year 2020 that officials would enter the rooms of patients before she did in order to “say that I was qualified.”
“That was really the most blatant, overt racism that I ever experienced in my life,” she said in an interview with the newspaper.
Johnson was on the verge of quitting, but ultimately chose to continue.
According to her, “It was a very difficult task.” However, if you are an African American woman and you are applying for a job for the first time, it would be difficult for you to get hired. Before I arrived, they had not yet gone ahead and hired one. Indeed, it was a difficult endeavor, but it turned out to be a fruitful endeavor.
