Theodore (Ted) R. Johnson
Dr. Theodore (Ted) R. Johnson is a senior fellow and director of the Fellows Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. His work explores the role that race plays in electoral politics and American identity. He is also a retired commander in the U.S. Navy following a two-decade career that included service as a White House fellow, military professor at the U.S. Naval War College, and speechwriter to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
His writing on race and politics has appeared in numerous publications, including the Washington Post, Atlantic, New York Times Magazine, and National Review, among other publications. His debut book, When the Stars Begin to Fall: Overcoming Racism and Renewing the Promise of America, published by Atlantic Monthly Press in June 2021, outlines a path toward a multiracial national solidarity to address the existential threat of racism to American ideals. He has also contributed chapters to A Return to Normalcy?: The 2020 Election that (Almost) Broke America (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and The Blue Wave: The 2018 Midterms and What They Mean for the 2020 Elections (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019).
In addition to the White House Fellowship, Ted has been a national fellow at New America and serves on the boards of multiple nonprofit organizations. He holds a BS in mathematics from Hampton University, an ALM with a concentration in international relations from Harvard University, and a doctorate of law and policy from Northeastern University.
