Foster Charles Johnson (1917 - 1981)

Born 3 Jan 1917 in Blacksburg, Montgomery, Virginia, United States

Husband of Grace Dell Nichols — married 27 Jan 1951 (to after 14 Aug 1951) in Greenup, Greenup, Kentucky, United States

Died 30 Oct 1981 at age 64 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States

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Biography

Foster Johnson is a part of US Black heritage.

Son of Robert Johnson and Claudia "Claudie" (maiden name unknown). (See Research Notes below.)

Husband of Nichelle Nichols

Husband of Jean Louise King

Professions: Tap dancer, ballroom dancer, dance instructor, choreographer

Foster Johnson was considered one of the legendary tap dancers of all time. He began dancing professionally at the age of 15 and didn't stop until the day he passed away in 1981. He is best-known for his paddle-and-roll styled tap-dancing. He performed with many well known partners, including Pops Whitman, Bobby Johnson, Jeanette Grider, Prince Spencer and Nichelle Nichols. He danced with the orchestras of Ellington, Basie, Lunceford, Armstrong, Hampton and many others.

In his latter years, he turned to teaching and mentoring young tap students including Rhapsody in Taps founder Linda Sohl-Ellison, Jazz Tap Ensemble founders Lynn Dally and Fred Strickler, flash phenom Chester Whitmore, and even actor Jeff Goldblum.

Research Notes

On the marriage license application with Grace Nichols, he states that his parents were Robert Johnson and Elizabeth Price and that he was born in Columbus, Ohio. This does not appear to be accurate.

Biographies of Foster Johnson state that he died October 29 or 30, 1981 in California. The California Death Index lists a Foster Johnson dying October 29, 1981, birth date 3 January 1917 and mother's maiden name was Mars.^[1]

There is a Foster Johnson who was born 3 January 1917 in Blacksburg, Montgomery County, Virginia.^[2] He was the son of Will Henderson Johnson and Lizzie Beth Mars. This matches the information on the California Death Index.

Further, on the Johnson/Nichols marriage application, it is stated that he was single. (The options on the form were single, widowed, or divorced.) However, his World War II Draft Registration Card lists his "person who will always know your address" as Mrs. Thelma Johnson, relationship: wife.^[3] The date and place of birth on the draft registration card are Blacksburg, Virginia, 3 January 1917, so it is assuredly the same person.

Greenup, Kentucky (where he and Nichelle Nichols married) was a common destination for people living in central and southern Ohio to elope. Could he have felt like the facts didn't matter? Could it have been Nichelle who filled out the form or gave the information, but she didn't know? (The handwriting on the application is all the same, so it does not appear that each of them filled out the form separately.)

Sources

1. ↑ * Death: "California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997"
   Place: Los Angeles; Date: 29 Oct 1981
   Ancestry Record 5180 #3692505 (accessed 1 August 2022)
   Foster Johnson death 29 Oct 1981 in Los Angeles.
2. ↑ * Birth: "Virginia, U.S., Birth Records, 1912-2015, Delayed Birth Records, 1721-1911"
   Virginia Department of Health; Richmond, Virginia; Virginia, Births, 1864-2016
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 9277 #144895 (accessed 1 August 2022)
   Foster Johnson born on 3 Jan 1917, child of Will Henderson Johnson & Lizzie Beth Mars, in Montgomery, Virginia, USA.
3. ↑ * Military: "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947"
   National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Illinois, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 864
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2238 #39744702 (accessed 1 August 2022)
   Name: Foster Charles Johnson; Gender: Male; Race: Negro (Black); Age: 23; Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head); Birth Date: 3 Jan 1917; Birth Place: Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Residence Place: Chicago, Illinois, USA; Registration Date: 16 Oct 1940; Registration Place: Illinois, USA; Employer: Dave Heilig; Height: 5 5; Weight: 133; Complexion: Light Brown; Hair Color: Black; Eye Color: Brown; Next of Kin: Thelma Johnson;
   Household Members Relationship:
   Foster Charles Johnson Self (Head)
   Thelma Johnson Wife.

• "United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X477-K4V : accessed 10 May 2016), Foster Johnson in entry for Robert Johnson, 1930.

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW8Z-NCX : accessed 10 May 2016), Foster Johnson in household of Robert Johnson, Ward 13, Columbus City, Montgomery Township, Franklin, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 93-214, sheet 2A, family 30, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 3247.

• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JR2F-GW5 : accessed 10 May 2016), Foster Johnson, Oct 1981; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2DH-ZFZL : 22 July 2021), Foster Johnson and Grace D Nichols, 27 Jan 1951; citing Marriage, Greenup, Greenup, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 1,913,836.

• http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.music.tdabio.112/default.html

• https://www.geni.com/people/Foster-Johnson/6000000017700729797

• http://www.famoushookups.com/site/relationship_detail.php?name=Nichelle-Nichols&relid=17503&celebid=15334

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichelle_Nichols

• http://articles.latimes.com/2007/oct/25/entertainment/gd-perf25

• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #242191772 (accessed 1 August 2022)
  Memorial page for Foster Charles Johnson (3 Jan 1917-29 Oct 1981); Maintained by Bradley M. (contributor 49065929)Cremated, who reports Ashes given to family or friends.