In the local world of education and politics, there are few figures as influential and inspiring as Dorothy “Dot” Inman-Johnson. From her humble beginnings growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, during the civil rights movement to becoming the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Tallahassee, serving two terms, being honored with the 2023 C.K. Steele Foundation Living Legend Award, to now running again to serve as a Tallahassee city commissioner in 2024 — her resume makes for impressive reading.
“My mom always brought us up to feel that we had an obligation beyond ourselves,” Inman-Johnson said.
She is challenging two-term City Commissioner Curtis Richardson, a former member of the Florida House of Representative es, for Seat 2 on the five-member panel.
With a career spanning several decades, Inman-Johnson has continued to push boundaries, challenge norms and champion causes that have transformed the landscape of education and social justice.
“I was a teacher for 28 years,” Inman-Johnson said.
After earning her bachelor’s degree in visual arts and minoring in education at Clark Atlanta University, Inman-Johnson embarked on a career as a teacher, pouring into the lives of young people.
However, Inman-Johnson’s ambitions didn’t stop there. Driven to create change on a larger scale, she entered the world of politics. She won a seat on the Tallahassee City Commission while also being a teacher.
“I had no interest in serving on the city commission because my interest was in education,” Inman-Johnson said, “Someone put my name in without my knowledge. Two months later, I became the first Black woman elected to the city commission.”
Iman-Johnson has worked tirelessly to advocate for her community. Throughout her career, Inman-Johnson has never wavered in her commitment to serving others and fighting for what she believes in. Her leadership, integrity and unwavering dedication to the community have earned her the respect of all who know her.
Her husband, Pastor Lee Johnson, said, “She’s just like her name Dot: D-O-T. She’s direct, opinionated and tough. She’s walked in the shoes of residents here in Tallahassee. She has compassion and empathy because of the fact that she’s grown up in poverty herself.”
Inman-Johnson voiced her concerns regarding the economy, residents needing assistance with utilities and Tallahassee firefighters’ wages. She also spoke about the current commissioners.
Long-time County Commissioner Bill Proctor, who knows Inman-Johnson, politely declined to give a statement.
Inman-Johnson continues to make her mark on the world; her story serves as a testimony and reminder of the difference one can make when driven by passion and purpose.