A Day Like No Other: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
David S. Johnson (b. 1927)

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, David Johnson moved to the west coast and settled in San Francisco after serving in the military. He has the distinction of being the first African American student of Ansel Adams, who taught photography at the California School of Fine Arts (now known as the San Francisco Art Institute). As a professional photographer, Johnson documented black life and culture in the early years of the civil rights movement. His photography style reflects the influence of Adams in its wide tonal range and attention to detail. Johnson’s work in the Filmore District of San Francisco has been instrumental in helping to revive the neighborhood into a historic district. He attended the March on Washington as a delegate from the Bay Area NAACP and covered the event for a local newspaper. “I always felt the drive to record my people’s hopes, dreams, and struggles. As an African American experiencing racism and discrimination, I felt that I empowered the people I photographed to see themselves more positively.”