Purpose, Passion and People are the core principles that guide and drive the life of the Honorable Van R. Johnson, II, the 67th Mayor of the City of Savannah, GA.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, but with strong Savannah roots, Mayor Johnson is a graduate of the New York City Public School System and has earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Savannah State and Georgia Southern University.
As a former radio talk show host, political commentator and former author of local weekly columns, Mayor Johnson has distinguished himself as an independent, thoughtful and passionate voice on current events.
As a nationally certified Human Resources and Georgia certified Law Enforcement professional, Mayor Johnson has utilized his unique skill set as a sought-after trainer, speaker and consultant in these areas.
In 2004, Mayor Johnson was elected as the First District Alderman on the Savannah City Council. He has been re-elected 3 times by the citizens of the District with an average of 75% of the total vote. During his tenure on Council, Mayor Johnson has served as Mayor Pro Tem and Vice Chairman. He has consistently used this sacred platform to advocate on behalf of the least, the last and the lost and to promote inclusion and equity for all of Savannah’s citizens. He is a graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Georgia.
Mayor Johnson has also demonstrated leadership nationally as only the 4th elected official from Savannah to serve on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities. He also recently served as Chair of the Advisory Board of the National League of Cities, becoming the first Savannahian to hold such an office.
Mayor Johnson is nationally recognized as an innovator and thought leader in the areas of youth development and engagement through his service of over 23 years as the Director of the Chatham County Youth Commission. Since that time, he has assisted cities and counties across the country in developing governmental youth leadership programs, to include co-founding the Savannah Youth Council in 2004.
Locally, his service has been dedicated to children, youth and families. He has served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Wesley Community Centers of Savannah, past Board Chair of the Chatham County Department of Family and Children Services in addition to numerous local non-profit organizations. He is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the International Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi and numerous other social and civic organizations.
Mayor Johnson’s leadership and humanitarian efforts have been recognized including being conferred the Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Savannah State University, 2017 Savannah Martin Luther King Observance Day Parade Marshal, 2017 Savannah Black Heritage Festival honoree, 2017 Association of County Commissioners of Georgia Civic and Community Service Award Recipient, the 2017 James P. Simms Public Service Award by the King Tisdell Cottage Foundation and the 2016 Savannah State University Fellow .