Thu., May 3, 2012 8:40am (EDT)

Albany Honors Civil Rights Leader
By Associated Press
Updated: 1 year ago

ALBANY, Ga.  —  
The Albany-Dougherty County Government Center. The city commission has voted to name the a city building after the late Johnnie Johnson, a former city public works employee who led about 260 black sanitation and utility workers to strike in the spring of 1972. Then Johnson, along with five others, sued for equitable rights and pay in local government in what would become a landmark civil rights case in Georgia. (Photo Courtesy of <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesussman/5168071162/in/photostream/>Mike Sussman via Flickr</a>.)
The Albany-Dougherty County Government Center. The city commission has voted to name the a city building after the late Johnnie Johnson, a former city public works employee who led about 260 black sanitation and utility workers to strike in the spring of 1972. Then Johnson, along with five others, sued for equitable rights and pay in local government in what would become a landmark civil rights case in Georgia. (Photo Courtesy of Mike Sussman via Flickr.)
The Albany City Commission has voted to name its public works building after the late Johnnie Johnson, who was a local civil rights leader.

The decision ends a 10-year process to honor Johnson. His son, Yaz Johnson, has been working for years to gain recognition for his father.

Johnnie Johnson, a former city public works employee, led about 260 black sanitation and utility workers to strike in the spring of 1972. Then Johnson, along with five others, sued for equitable rights and pay in local government in what would become a landmark civil rights case in Georgia.