MEET WALTER T. JOHNSON III
ROOTED IN LEGACY. FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE. A BETTER PLAN FOR A BETTER COMMUNITY.
Born the eldest son of the late Walter Thaniel Johnson Jr., the first Black graduate of Duke University School of Law and the first African American Chairman of the Greensboro Public Schools Board of Education, and the late Yvonne Johnson, Greensboro’s first Black Mayor, Walter Johnson was raised in a household where service was not a slogan but a way of life. Affectionately known as “T,” Walter grew up watching leadership modeled through integrity, courage, and an unwavering commitment to community. Rooted in a lineage of trailblazers and public servants, he has spent his entire life learning what it truly means to serve others and how thoughtful leadership can change lives.
A lifelong resident of Guilford County, Walter Johnson is an educator, community advocate, and marketing consultant with more than 30 years of experience serving the Piedmont Triad. A proud 1986 graduate of James B. Dudley High School, Walter has dedicated his professional life to expanding opportunity through education, economic development, and civic engagement.
Walter earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from North Carolina A&T State University, completed post-graduate studies at High Point University, and later returned to A&T to obtain his Professional Teaching Certificate. This unique blend of business acumen and educational expertise has shaped a career grounded in both leadership and service.Throughout his career, Walter has held leadership roles within several impactful nonprofit organizations. He served for four years with the Greensboro Economic Development Corporation as a mentor and Director of the Challenge Greensboro Program, helping prepare minority executives for leadership roles on civic boards and commissions. He also served three years on the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Commission, working to strengthen community spaces and resources, and spent four years with Project Homestead as Grant Writer and PR and Marketing Director, helping secure critical funding for affordable housing initiatives.
An entrepreneur since 1989, Walter has owned and operated a promotions and marketing business that has generated more than three million dollars in economic development within Guilford County. For more than 20 years, he has also hosted Friday Nite Rivalries, a television program dedicated to celebrating the academic and athletic achievements of high school students across the region.
In education, Walter spent 20 years in the classroom, including nearly 19 years focused on Career and Technical Education. His commitment to young people extends beyond the classroom through 12 years of volunteer youth basketball coaching and mentorship that has helped more than 30 female student-athletes earn collegiate basketball scholarships.
Walter is a member of Providence Baptist Church and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, organizations that reflect his values of faith, service, and lifelong commitment to uplifting others.
Public service runs deep in the Johnson family. Walter has three siblings, Vernon, Lisa, and Shannon, and continues to honor the legacy of leadership passed down through generations. He is married to his wife of 27 years, Samara Johnson, and is the proud father of three daughters, Teara, Lillian, and Sanai, and a devoted grandfather to Carmelo.
Guided by legacy and driven by purpose, Walter Johnson remains deeply committed to building a stronger, more equitable Guilford County through education, economic empowerment, and servant leadership.