Johnson was the first African - American to serve as a North Carolina District Court judge and the first to serve as chief judge of a district ( in Mecklenburg County ) .
Johnson graduated from North Carolina Central University and its law school .
Johnson , who graduated from North Carolina Central University and its law school , was the first African - American to serve as a North Carolina District Court judge and the first to serve as chief judge of a district ( in Mecklenburg County ) .