Harry
Johnson
"Harry Johnson (1941-2024) was a national and state leader in increasing access to justice. He was a member of the board of directors of Indiana Legal Services, the statewide LSC grantee, and its predecessor from 1974 until his death in 2024, 50 years. He served as board president twice.
Harry set the respectful and deliberative tone of ILS board meetings for decades, and he mentored several generations of board members. Although he died in 2024, his impact on ILS and the board will be longstanding because of his guiding influence on so many board members. His impact was illustrated when board members traveled from all corners of the state to attend Harry’s funeral.
On the national level, Harry was a two-term member of the board of directors of the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, served two terms on the NLADA civil council, one term on the NLADA Client Council, and served as convenor of the NLADA Client Section from 2001-2008. In 2018, he received the NLADA’s Mary Ellen Hamilton Award, recognizing a community advocate who provided extraordinary support for the delivery of legal assistance to low-income people and for increased involvement of low-income people in the fight for equal justice. He was also treasurer of the National Organization of Client Advocates.
Harry’s career was spent at United Technologies Carrier, and he was a proud member of the United Steelworkers Union. He was an officer in the A. Philip Randolph Institute and National Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. He was an active member of his church, Bethel A.M.E. and sang in the Indiana A.M.E. Lay Male Chorus. He was a life member of the NAACP.
Harry was born in Columbus, Georgia, where he graduated from high school. He migrated to Indiana to attend Purdue University and lived in Indianapolis for the rest of his life. He was the proud parent of Harry Bernard Johnson, Travae Johnson, and Jeremiah Johnson, the husband of Patricia Johnson, and a beloved grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncle. He was a devoted gardener."
