Charlton Johnson has been named a vice president of Together for Hope, leading the Delta Region of the nonprofit empowerment ministry.
Johnson came to Together for Hope from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he was serving as a chaplain. He is an ordained elder in full connection in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and has served as a pastor for 20 years.
Charlton Johnson
A native of Greenville, Miss. — in the heart of the Mississippi Delta — Johnson’s life experiences from childhood until now have shaped his views of God and his commitment to serving and nurturing others, he said. “I am excited to join Together for Hope and work with partners to alleviate persistent rural poverty in the U.S. As an ordained minister, I have served congregations all over Mississippi including the Delta. I believe my experience as pastor and community leader will enable me to nurture connections with others who share in the commitment of building transformative communities that produce a positive future for every person impacted by rural poverty.”
Jason Coker, president of Together for Hope and himself a native of the Mississippi Delta, expressed optimism about the next phase of this work.
“Charlton’s experience as a chaplain and pastor coupled with his roots in the Delta and Memphis will help us deepen our trust with local community-based organizations throughout the Delta region and propel us into a strong future,” he said. “I’m very excited to see how he uses his network to build the coalition and leverage that for collective impact in the Delta.”
Johnson earned a bachelor of arts degree in communicative disorders and speech-language pathology from the University of Mississippi and a master of divinity degree with honors from Memphis Theological Seminary. He is married to Benetra Mangum-Johnson, also a minister.
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