Charlotte Post co-publisher Bob Johnson dies at age 84

PAUL WILLIAMS III | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Robert "Bob" Johnson (left), co-publisher of The Post with brother Gerald, at the publication's north Charlotte office in March. Robert Johnson, who died June 5, held many roles at The Post over 50 years of his family's ownership, including columnist, advertising representative and circulation manager.

Post co-publisher and general manager Robert Johnson, who with his brother Gerald positioned the publication’s role as a community resource beyond journalism, died today at age 84.

Mr. Johnson served many roles at The Post, including columnist, circulation manager and ad sales representative since his father Bill bought the publication in 1974. When Bill Johnson died in 1986, Gerald Johnson took over day-to-day leadership of the business while Robert was the public face who connected with readers, subscribers and advertisers – often simultaneously. He was also integral to The Charlotte Post Foundation, which operates the Top Seniors initiative that salutes academic excellence for Black high school seniors in Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools.

“Bob was the kindest human and a wonderful boss during my time with the paper,” Axios Charlotte reporter Ashley Mahoney, a Post reporter from 2014-21, posted to X, formerly Twitter.

Mr. Johnson was also an influential office figure, where his easy-going manner and affinity for humor resonated across departments. Whether it was offering advice, encouragement or personal experience, he found ways to put his colleagues first.

“Bob was in a lot of ways the heart of The Charlotte Post when I was there,” said Jeri Young, managing editor of the Winston-Salem Journal and Greensboro News & Record and a former Post features editor. “He was always there with some funny, crazy story. He also had a knack for saying the right thing just when you needed it most.”

Mr. Johnson, a 1957 West Charlotte High School graduate, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Johnson C. Smith University in 1961. He closely followed news and events at both alma maters, especially sports. One of his best friends was Butch Walker, a JCSU quarterback during his student days and he wrote a letter of nomination for Pettis Norman, a Golden Bulls tight end who played 12 seasons in the NFL to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Norman was inducted last month.

Young, a Charlotte native who started her journalism career at The Post in the late 1990s, said Mr. Johnson’s impact extended beyond the publication. A retired Charlotte-Mecklenburg teacher, Mr. Johnson was so popular with students that decades after he left the classroom, they’d stop him on the street to thank him for his lessons on campus and life.

“Bob was one of those teachers everyone loved,” she said. “Whenever we’d have lunch together, former students would always come by to say hello to Mr. Johnson.”  

Aura Love posted to Facebook: “I remember growing up and riding with my dad to go and meet with them and then leaving with a stack of papers to distribute. An era is definitely coming to a close.”

Funeral is June 14, 12 p.m. at Mount Carmel Baptist Church, 7237 Tuckaseegee Road. Viewing is 11:30 a.m.

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