I . Amy Johnson
(1903–41)
an English pilot who became famous when she flew alone from London to Australia in 1930, winning a £10 000 prize. She then flew alone to Japan in 1931 and to South Africa in 1932. She was killed when her plane crashed off the south-east coast of England.
II . Boris Johnson
( Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson 1964– )
a British right-wing journalist who has worked for the Daily Telegraph newspaper and the Spectator magazine and who is known for his view that Britain should not have closer links with the European Union . He became a Conservative Member of Parliament in 2001.
III . Jack Johnson
(1878–1946)
the first African-American boxer to become World Heavyweight Champion, when he beat Tommy Burns in 1908 in Sydney, Australia. Johnson was hated by many white people because he married three white women. He was accused of crimes and left America in 1912. He lost his championship to Jess Willard in 1915 in Havana, Cuba. He returned to the US in 1920 and was sent to prison for eight months.
IV . Lyndon B Johnson
( Lyndon Baines Johnson 1908–73)
the 36th US President (1963–69) and a member of the Democratic Party , often referred to informally as LBJ. He was a teacher who was elected to the US Senate (1948–60) and was the Senate Majority Leader (1954–60). He was elected US Vice-president in 1960 and became President when John F Kennedy was murdered. Johnson was elected again in 1964. As President, he introduced many social changes with his Great Society programme, which gave special help to African Americans and poor people. He decided not to stand again for election after increased protests about the Vietnam War .
V . Michael Johnson
(1967– )
a US runner who was a star of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta . He won gold medals in the 200-metres race (in which he established a new world record) and in the 400-metres race. He won four Olympic gold medals and retired in 2000.
VI . Samuel Johnson
(1709–84)
an English writer and critic, often referred to as Dr Johnson . He is remembered for his many clever remarks (mostly recorded by his friend James Boswell , who wrote his life story) and his Dictionary of the English Language (1755). Among his other important books are Rasselas (1759), which he wrote in a week to pay his mother’s funeral expenses, and The Lives of the Poets (1779–81). He was an important figure in 18th-century London, and started a club (called simply The Club) with friends such as David Garrick , Edward Gibbon and Joshua Reynolds . He remained poor all his life, but his great reputation as a writer and humorous speaker brought him the honorary title of Doctor from Oxford University in 1775. His house in Gough Square, London, is now a museum.