Johnson, Sonia

Variant names

Hide Profile

Sonia Ann Harris was born on 27 February 1936 in Malad City, Idaho, to Alvin and Ida Howell Harris. Her childhood was spent in Preston, Idaho, until the family moved to Logan, Utah, in 1948. She was raised a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Mormon Church). After graduation from Logan High School in 1954 Sonia worked in a bank until she entered Utah State University in January 1955. She received her B.A. in English in 1958. Sonia and Richard Theodore Johnson were married 21 August 1959. In February 1960 the Johnsons moved to Apia, Western Samoa where they both taught English for a year. They returned to Minneapolis where Sonia did graduate work at the University of Minnesota toward her master's degree. For two years of that time she was also a graduate assistant in the English Department. They moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey, where Sonia received her master's and Ed.D. degrees from Rutgers University. In 1965 the Johnsons and their two children went to Lagos, Nigeria, where Sonia spent two years as head of testing at the American International School. From Nigeria, they went to Palo Alto, California, for two years, where Sonia had another baby, then on to Malawi where Sonia taught for two years at the University of Malawi. After a brief stay in California the Johnsons and their three children went to Korea, where Sonia taught diplomats, their wives, and servicemen through the University of Maryland extension. She was also a visiting professor at Seoul University. After spending almost a year in Western Malaysia, where Sonia had a fourth child, they returned to Califronia in 1974 and finally settled in Sterling, Virginia, in 1976. Sonia spent one year working through the federal Office of Education then became an adjunct professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and the University of Virginia. Sonia Johnson began speaking out as a Mormon for Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in 1977. Her first national exposure was following her August 1978 testimony in front of the Senate Constitutional Rights Subcommittee where she came into conflict with Utah's junior Senator, Orrin Hatch. She continued speaking and promoting the Equal Rights Amendment and denouncing what she perceived to be her church's political activities against the amendment. Sonia's August 1979 speech in Kalispell, Montana, to their National Organization for Women convention, the September 1979 paper given to the American Psychological Association, and an October 1979 speech at the University of Utah culminated in her call to an LDS Bishop's Court in November 1979. After a well-publicized trial on December first, Sonia was officially excommunicated from the LDS Church on 5 December 1979. The decision was affirmed by a Church High Council Court on 6 April 1980. Sonia continued her promotion of the Equal Rights Amendment as president of the national Mormons for ERA group. She spoke at numerous functions throughout the country and appeared on a number of television talk shows, including the Phil Donahue program. In 1981 her book From Housewife to Heretic about her embrace of feminism was published. In 1982 Sonia Johnson made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency of the National Organization for Women. She still continues to be active in promoting feminist issues and women's rights.

From the guide to the Sonia Johnson papers, 1958-1983, bulk 1978-1982, (J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)

Sonia Johnson (born 1936), who was a member of the LDS Church from birth, began speaking out in support of the ERA in 1977. National exposure occurred with her 1978 testimony in front of the U. S. Senate's Constitutional Rights Subcommittee, and she continued speaking and promoting the ERA and denouncing what she perceived to be her church's political activities against the amendment. After a well-publicized church trial in December 1979, Johnson was excommunicated. Afterwards, she continued promoting the ERA as president of the Mormons for ERA group. She spoke at numerous functions throughout the country and appeared on a number of television talk shows. Her book about her embrace of feminism, From Housewife to Heretic, was published in 1981.

From the guide to the Sonia Johnson audio-visual collection, 1976-1981, (J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)

Political activist, author. Johnson was excommunicated from the LDS church for her stand on the proposed Equal Rights Amendment.

From the description of Papers. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 154298581

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Fitzgerald, John W., 1907- . Papers, 1876-1985. University of New Mexico, Los Alamos, UNM-Los Alamos Library
referencedIn National Organization for Women. Records: Series I-XVI, 1961-1999 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Sonia Johnson audio-visual collection, 1976-1981 J. Willard Marriott Library. University of Utah Audio Visual Archives
referencedIn Deming, Barbara, 1917-1984. Papers: Series I-III, 1908-1985 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Sonia Johnson papers, 1958-1983, bulk 1978-1982 J. Willard Marriott Library. University of Utah Manuscripts Division
referencedIn Radcliffe College Archives biography files, 1855-2007 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn [Sonia Johnson, the Mormon Church, and the proposed Equal Right Amendment]. University of New Mexico, Los Alamos, UNM-Los Alamos Library
referencedIn National Organization for Women. Videotape collection of the National Organization for Women. 1977-1988. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Jacobson, Dori. Women's Rights Portfolio 1977-1986. Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Papers, 1967-1985 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn National Organization for Women. Videotape collection of the National Organization for Women. 1977-1988. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Phyllis Chesler Papers, 1968-1990 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Mormons for ERA, 1977-1983, 1979-1983 Utah State University. Merrill-Cazier Library. Special Collections and ArchivesManuscript Collection
referencedIn Records, 1980-1995 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn [Sonia Johnson and the ERA] Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library
referencedIn Mormons for ERA. Mormons for ERA, 1977-1993 (1979-1983) Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library
referencedIn East, Catherine Shipe. Papers of Catherine Shipe East. 1941-1995 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Diana Davies Papers MS 309., 1960s-1996 (ongoing) Sophia Smith Collection
referencedIn Peterson, Esther, 1906-1997. Papers, 1884-1998 (inclusive), 1929-1998 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Sillitoe, Linda. Papers, 1977-1980. Landmarks of Science Microform Service
referencedIn Women's Encampment for a Future of Peace & Justice. Records, 1980-1995 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Bunch, Charlotte, 1944-. Papers, 1950-1988 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Davies, Diana, 1938-. Papers 1960-1996 (ongoing). Smith College, Neilson Library
creatorOf Sonia Johnson photograph collection, 1979-1981 J. Willard Marriott Library. University of Utah Photograph Archives
creatorOf Johnson, Sonia. Oral history interview with Sonia Johnson / conducted by Karen Langlois. The Claremont Colleges, Claremont University Consortium
referencedIn Kady, 1927-. Papers of Kady, 1979-2003 (inclusive), 1979-1984 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Johnson, Sonia, 1936-. Papers. Landmarks of Science Microform Service
referencedIn Records of, Sojourner, (inclusive), (bulk), 1920-2004, 1975-2002 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers, 1884-1998 (inclusive), 1929-1988 (bulk) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Fitzgerald, John William, 1907-. John Williams Fitzgerald papers, 1876-1985. Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library
referencedIn Records of the National Organization for Women, 1959-2002 (inclusive), 1966-1998 (bulk) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Johnson, Sonia. From housewife to heretic [sound recording] / Sonia Johnson. Sarah Lawrence College, Esther Raushenbush Library
referencedIn Sonia Johnson and the Citizens Party, 1983. Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library
referencedIn Women's rights movement videorecordings, 1970s-1980s. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Papers, 1908-1985 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Dori Jacobson's Women's Rights Portfolio MS 279., 1977-1986 Sophia Smith Collection
referencedIn Mary R. Boone Papers, Bulk, 1982-1983, 1982-1983, 2006 North Carolina State University. Special Collections Research Center
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith BARBARA DEMING, 1917-1984 person
associatedWith Boone, Mary R. person
associatedWith Bunch, Charlotte, 1944- person
associatedWith Catherine East, 1916-1996 person
associatedWith CHARLOTTE BUNCH, 1944- person
associatedWith Chesler, Phyllis person
associatedWith Claremont Graduate School. Oral History Program. corporateBody
associatedWith Davies, Diana, 1938- person
associatedWith Deming, Barbara, 1917-1984. person
associatedWith ESTHER (EGGERTSEN) PETERSON, 1906-1997 person
associatedWith Fitzgerald, John W., 1907- . person
associatedWith Fitzgerald, John William, 1907- person
associatedWith Jacobson, Dori person
associatedWith Jacobson, Dori. person
associatedWith Kady, 1927- person
associatedWith Langlois, Karen S. person
associatedWith Mormons for E.R.A. corporateBody
associatedWith Mormons for E.R.A. corporateBody
associatedWith Mormons for E.R.A. corporateBody
associatedWith Mormons for ERA. corporateBody
associatedWith National Organization for Women person
associatedWith National Organization for Women. corporateBody
associatedWith Peterson, Esther, 1906-1997. person
associatedWith Sarah Lawrence College. corporateBody
associatedWith Sillitoe, Linda. person
associatedWith Sojourner (Cambridge, Mass.) corporateBody
associatedWith Women's Encampment for a Future of Peace & Justice. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
United States
Subject
Religion
Civic Activism
Civil rights
Equal rights amendments
Equal rights amendments
Equal rights amendments
Feminism
Feminism
Feminists
Government, Law and Politics
Images
Material Types
Mormon Church
Mormonism (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Mormon women
Mormon women
Mormon women
Mormon women
Moving Images
Sex discrimination against women
Sex discrimination against women
Social classes
Social life and customs
Sound recordings
Women and religion
Women in the Mormon Church
Women's and gender history
Women's liberation
Women's rights
Women's rights
Occupation
Collector
Activity

Person

Birth 1936-02-27

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6qf8v5f

Ark ID: w6qf8v5f

SNAC ID: 36412222