John Lee Johnson Way and Clubhouse

John Lee Johnson (1941–2006) grew up in Champaign-Urbana and become an influential leader and community advocate. In 1967, he helped organize the Special Education Opportunities Program and Project 500 at the University of Illinois, which sought to increase the school's enrollment of Black and Latinx students. He served as a member of the Champaign City Council from 1973–1981. Additionally, he contributed to the development of Champaign's Martin Luther King Jr. Subdivision. Over his lifetime, he received many awards and accolades for his contributions. In 2006, the Champaign City Council designated Fourth Street (between University and Bradley Avenues) as Honorary John Lee Johnson Way—the honorary street designation has since been retired. Then, in 2020, the Champaign City Council announced that the clubhouse in the Bristol Place Residences would also be named after John Lee Johnson.