Dr Lamar Johnson was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. A vocal African-American who entered politics by winning a city on the Detroit City Council, Johnson has condemned white America “for unspeakable crimes against the black people with whom they share this nation.” Johnson believes that African-Americans were, “kidnapped, enslaved and treated second best” and have been both forgotten and ignored by “white Americans who lock themselves into their suburbs and gated communities.” Johnson has served as a Professor of History at the University of Michigan. He was elected, in 1992, to Michigan’s 14th District which covers portions of metropolitan Detroit, and has a significant constituency of African-Americans. During the campaign, he criticized his opponent by saying he was “another out of touch country club Republican” which caused controversy considering he was facing a Detroit police officer who had been shot and wounded in the line of duty. Johnson narrowly won the district however, after record black turnout propelled him to victory. Michigan 14th’s newest Congressman is married, has two sons and remains deeply unpopular with Detroit Police.