America And Its Racist Folk Heroes
The cult of the anti-black vigilante has a long history
In the summer of 1978, 15-year-old Terrence Johnson was taken into custody by Prince George’s County Police (Prince George’s County is located right outside Washington D.C.). According to Johnson’s account, he was being beaten and mistreated in an interrogation room by an officer. Johnson was taken to the Hyattsville Station, which had a reputation for being rough.
Johnson and one of the officers eventually got into some kind of scuffle and Johnson emerged with the officer’s weapon. He shot and killed that officer and killed another officer. Johnson’s position from the beginning, via his lawyers, was self-defense. The officer was beating him terribly. He is 15 year old and he acted in his own interest of self-preservation.
In the Black community of Washington D.C. and its Black suburbs, Johnson was immediately a hero. He had struck a blow against racial hate and police brutality. Prince George’s County police officers regularly roughed off people and especially Black people. Johnson’s story was familiar to many people. It had happened to others.
Johnson received full support from most Black people. I was living in D.C. at the time and Johnson had to be supported was the consensus. Here is how Lisa Newman described the…
