Michael Johnson Elected President of Owensboro-Daviess County NAACP

by McCellus J. Mays

Evangelist Michael Johnson has been elected president of the Owensboro-Daviess County NAACP, Chapter #3107. Members selected Johnson on November 10, 2025, entrusting him with the chapter’s leadership for the next two years. Before his election, Johnson served as 2nd Vice President and chaired the Education Committee, demonstrating the steady, people-centered leadership that members have now elevated to the top role. He succeeds Rhondalyn Randolph, past president.

Johnson’s election marks a new chapter for the local NAACP, but for those who know him, leadership and service have been part of his story long before this moment. His journey—from U.S. Navy serviceman to community minister—offers a compelling portrait of a man whose life has consistently been anchored in duty, compassion, and action.

From U.S. Navy Officer to Civilian Minister: A Life Built on Service

Johnson grew up in Owensboro’s historic Baptisttown community, living what he describes as an “ordinary” life. But ordinary hardly captures his path. As a student at Owensboro High School, he ran track, played both basketball and football, and still found time to play cello in the concert band and study the instrument at Brescia College.

At age 17, with his mother’s consent, Johnson left Owensboro the day after graduation to join the U.S. Navy. Raised by a single parent, he carried with him the values of hard work, honesty, and faith—reinforced by the influence of his grandmother, a preacher who helped shape his spiritual and leadership foundation.

Johnson served 22 years in the Navy, rising from private to culinary specialist, where he supervised a staff of more than 250 sailors. He later earned the rank of Chief Petty Officer and was appointed both Aviation and Surface Warfare Specialist. His deployments included Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom—two of the most critical defense efforts of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

He traveled extensively, serving on the USS Coral Sea, USS John Hancock, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Yet, among all his experiences, one memory stands out: helping build a running track for children at an orphanage in Italy.

“That,” Johnson said, “and telling them what the USA was all about, stays in my head.”

After returning home, Johnson served as a Navy recruiter and mentored more than 120 local men and women into military service, sharing how the Navy transformed his life—and how it could transform theirs as well.

A Ministry of Action at Home

Retiring from the Navy in 2009 didn’t slow him down. Johnson founded Truth Outreach Ministries, Inc., a grassroots nonprofit supporting homeless and low-income families. He also recorded two musical projects, continuing a lifelong connection to music.

His community service runs deep. He has served on numerous boards, including the Men’s Mass Community Choir (current president), RiverPark Center, Owensboro Public Schools Foundation, and the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. He also leads the H.L. Neblett Center’s Morning Joe community talk session and works as the center’s senior activities coordinator.

As vice-chair of the Owensboro Board of Education, Johnson helped integrate healthcare services into schools through a partnership with Audubon Care Clinic—providing physicals and medical care for students who might otherwise go without.

Johnson describes his mission simply:

“Serving my community carries the same trademark as serving my country. I am about helping people. Whether it be through music, ministry, or community service—this is still my mission.”

A devoted husband to Christie, he is the father of seven adult children—two of whom have followed his footsteps into military service—and the grandfather of eleven. Prayer grounds everything he does.

A New Chapter of Leadership

In many ways, Johnson’s election as NAACP president feels like a natural extension of his lifelong dedication to service. His experiences—as a veteran, minister, mentor, advocate, and community leader—have shaped him into the kind of steady, principled leader this moment calls for.

The community offers its warmest congratulations to President Johnson and wishes him continued success as he steps into this new role.