Dr. Alfreda Johnson

Obituary For Dr. Alfreda Johnson

Humanitarian and trailblazing educator, Dr. Alfreda A. Johnson was a resilient and gifted child of the US Black Migration. Nurtured by her family’s desire to make a better life, Alfreda pursued a lifelong quest to pursue educational opportunities for herself and professionally for all children, especially those who needed a helping hand.

Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, the only child of Hiram Askew and Weltha (Bryant) Askew, Alfreda moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania when she was seven years old. As the family sought housing and educational opportunity in their new hometown, they quickly learned that racial discrimination was not bound by geography. When initially enrolling in the Harrisburg public schools, Alfreda was told that she would be required to repeat the first grade. The school assumed that she could not perform at the second-grade level. However, her mother would not accept that ruling and forced the school to test her knowledge and she was placed in the second grade. This early experience established Alfreda’s intelligence and academic prowess that was finally publicly recognized when it was reported in the newspaper (but not in the school ceremony) that Alfreda had earned induction to the National Honor Society at John Harris High School…something that was unheard of for a “Negro” at this time.

Upon graduating from John Harris High School, it was at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, where Alfreda found her place of acceptance and belonging. Although the trip South brought explicit signs of segregation, she thrived in the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) environment where there were hundreds of gifted students who were expected to excel academically and “be somebody”. Fisk supported and demanded excellence while setting the table for achieving greatness despite the racial discrimination. At Fisk, she made lifelong friends, pledged her beloved Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1956.

Alfreda returned to Harrisburg and was again met with disappointment as she sought a teaching position with the Harrisburg Public Schools. It took a year and political maneuvering before she was hired as a mathematics teacher at Camp Curtin Junior High School in 1957. This created the foundation for her trailblazing career working in the Harrisburg Public Schools where she became the first African American Guidance Counselor in Harrisburg in 1958.

The year 1958 was significantly enhanced when she married Richard (Booley) Johnson and her son Richard, Jr. (Ricky) was born. During this remarkable year, Alfreda was also a charter member of the Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.

Maintaining a family, counseling students as well as participating in church and sorority activities would be a full plate for most people, but not for Alfreda. With the support of her husband Richard and mother, Alfreda continued her quest for higher education. Over the years, she earned her Master of Education from Shippensburg University in 1964, was selected as a GE Fellow at Boston University1968 and ultimately received her PhD from Nova University in 1976.

In 1968, Dr. Johnson had the opportunity to become the director of International Student Affairs at Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC). During her 30 years of service at HACC she created a unique program offering an inclusive and welcoming environment for foreign students. In many cases Alfreda became an American surrogate mother for her students. Many of these relationships have lasted throughout the years and she is “GranMa” to the children of several of her former international students’ children.

Although the deaths of her son, Ricky and husband of 46 years, Richard, were deep wounds, the ever resilient, Dr. Johnson never wavered in her community service. For over 70 years, she played a major role in forging partnerships and networks as well as serving on nonprofit boards across the city including a founding member of Planned Parenthood and ABC (A Better Chance program for gifted minority students). She planned and hosted events with friends of all races and all walks of life raising money for student scholarships and nonprofits that opened doors to improve opportunities for African Americans and helped make the world a better place. Dr. Johnson has received many awards and recognitions for community service including, YMCA Distinguished Citizen, Links, Inc., Dedicated Community Service as well as Shippensburg University where she was honored as both a Humanitarian and Distinguished Alumnus for her educational contributions and support for the University.

Throughout her life Dr. Johnson was an avid reader, curious about people and geography. Retirement brought new opportunities for traveling the world visiting five of the seven continents. Not only did she explore diverse cultures and expanded her “family” outside of the United States, she also documented these experiences taking extraordinary photographs and shared wonderful stories of her exploits.

When asked about her legacy, Dr. Johnson said, she wanted to be remembered as someone who helped young people achieve their highest potential.

In her final years, Dr. Johnson found new love and is survived by her devoted companion, Jerry Archibald; a loving and steadfast care team of relatives and friends, Sylvia Stevens-Edouard (Chelinde Edouard), Destiny Franklin-Greene, Eva Wise, Leslie Franklin, Gargi and Prisha Dani, Lester Gray, Ann Lehman, Wanda Jackson, David and Gretchen Vreeland; her nephew, Wesley Johnson (Debi); her godbrother, Stephen L. Franklin; as well as a host of cousins, friends, sorority sisters and colleagues.

We will celebrate Dr. Johnson's extraordinary life beginning with The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Omega Omega Service at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 23rd, 2025 at Capital Presbyterian Church, 1401 Cumberland Street, Harrisburg with Visitation from 11 a.m. until 12 Noon, followed by a Funeral service at 12 Noon officiated by her friend and minister, Reverend SanDawna Ashley and burial in William Howard Day Cemetery where she will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband and son.

The family wishes to thank all of you for your wonderful prayers and support during our time of bereavement. May God Bless you.

Friends will be received at Edgemont Community Center following interment.

To send condolences or share memories with the family, please go to (website). In lieu of flowers, please send Memorial contributions to Fisk University, www.connect.fisk.edu/donate and/or Shippensburg University, www.SUFoundation.org/give-now