The Hope College community is mourning the loss of Fred Johnson, a spectacular individual whose passion for Christ flooded each aspect of his life. He passed away February 27th, after suffering a cardiac arrest a few days prior while lecturing a class. 

Fred Johnson led an illustrious career and a purposeful life. “He is remembered as a scholar, a writer and award-winning public speaker, and all understood that his greatest passion was teaching,” a statement made by Hope College expressed a few days after his passing. 

The President of Hope College, Matt Scogin, noted that, “Dr. Johnson was a giant of a man whose life shaped countless individuals. His absence will be felt in ways that are hard to put into words. He taught us history and in doing so became an enduring part of ours.” 

Scogin continued by stating, “His life was defined by an unwavering commitment to follow Jesus Christ and reflect God’s love for others.” 

Johnson experienced the most, and in everything he did, he followed Christ, something that everyone recognized about him. “Honoring God in your work means that you bring an attitude and intent for excellence in everything you do,” he expressed in a presentation for Hope College’s Boerigter Center for Calling and Career a few years ago. 

He spent the first half of his childhood in the Philippines, up until his father got transferred to Andrews Air Force Base right outside of Washington D.C. 

He, too, had a notion to serve the military, with inspiration stemming from the Black men who served in both the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the Union Army during the Civil War. He believed, “Those guys had every reason in the world to not participate, but they saw something in the promise of America that told them, ‘I want to serve anyway.’"

Johnson served 12 years in the United States Marine Corps as a Communications-Electronics Officer and as an Infantry Officer in the Marine Reserves.  

He graduated from Bowie State College with a bachelor’s in history and teacher education. He went on to complete his masters and doctorate at Kent State University. He then received his Master of Divinity at Western Theological Seminary in 2015. 

Apart from his academic successes, Johnson held other roles such as a production scheduler for Packard-Electric Division of General Motors, an operations specialist for Con-Tel Page Telecommunications, and a corporate trainer for Aircraft Braking Systems.

He ran twice for the U.S. House of Representatives, once in 2008 and again in 2010. 

The next goal in life was to become a historian. 

A Favorite Professor at Hope College

Fred Johnson began his teaching career at Hope College in 2000. He taught various courses from Revolutionary America to Civil War America to The History of U.S. Foreign Policy. 

His passion for history tied into the condition of the current socio-political landscape he witnessed, and sometimes experienced. At the time Fred attended college, his curiosity and yearning for understanding elicited him to ask questions such as, “How do we get this way?”

A few years ago, The City of Holland showcased Dr. Johnson in a four-minute video titled, "My Story Oral Histories: Fred Johnson III." In the video, Fred offered insight into what questions prompted him to be curious about history, to which he asked himself in light of the current socio-political climate, “How is this persisting? Why can’t we get this right? And it seemed to me that if you want to understand America in the 20th and 21st century, you must understand the Civil War—but more specifically, Reconstruction.”

His personality was admirable. His extensive knowledge of historical events was impressive. He brought forth a serious, yet stimulating experience in his classes. For some students, they remember sitting down in his classroom on the first day, waiting for him to show up, and as he walks in, he sets a stack of papers on the podium and instantly begins to lecture. 

He’d start out with a quote from someone like Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address, pick it apart, ask his students questions, and as the clock reached the end of class, he’d look up and say, “Oh, and by the way, I’m Dr. Johnson, and I’ll be your professor this semester.” 

He loved his students. If you had been in his class, he would likely have acknowledged you in passing by through campus. His extensive knowledge, paired with his reserved personality, allowed him to connect with students through honest, raw conversation during class. 

“But what I found—and what I tell people about Holland—is that the people around here know that they don't know all that they need to know about diversity. So people are willing to ask the questions,” Johnson explained in the City of Holland’s video as mentioned above. 

He was also a visiting faculty member for the Hope-Western Prison Education Program, where he inspired and taught students at the Muskegon Correctional Facility for incarcerated men. 

Dr. Stephen Maiullo, the Dean of Arts and Humanities at Hope College, stated: “We deeply grieve his loss, but we will honor his legacy.” 

There will be a memorial service hosted at Dimnent Chapel on Friday, March, 13, 2026 at 2 pm, to remember and honor the life of Fred Johnson.