Mordecai Wyatt Johnson Quotes

United States, Educator
January 4, 1891 – September, 10, 1976.

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson was an American educator and pastor. He served as the first black president of Howard University, from 1926 until 1960. Johnson has been considered one of the three leading African-American preachers of the early 20th-century, along with Vernon Johns and Howard Thurman.

Also known as Pastor

There will be a meeting of the great powers who will disagree, and the next noise we hear will be the screeching of elevators going up and down from heaven to hell.

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson
- Heaven
- Meetings
- Noise
When the Negro cries with pain from his deep hurt and lays his petition for elemental justice before the nation, he is calling upon the American people to kindle about that crucible of race relationships the fires of American faith.

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson

The time is past when Christians in America can take a long spoon and hand the gospel to the black man out the back door.

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson
Now they have come to the place where their faith can no longer feed on the bread of repression and violence. They ask for the bread of liberty, of public equality, and public responsibility. It must not be denied them.

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson
Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative.

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson
The Negro people of America... have cut our forests, tilled our fields, built our railroads, fought our battles, and in all of their trials they have manifested a simple faith, a grateful heart, a cheerful spirit, and an undivided loyalty .

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson
- People
- Simple
- Grateful
We're living under the illusion that we have the power to determine what to do with it.

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson
- Illusion
- Determine