Peter M. Johnson

rdf:langString Peter M. Johnson

rdf:langString Peter M. Johnson

rdf:langString Peter M. Johnson

rdf:langString New York City, New York, United States

rdf:langString Arizona State University

rdf:langString Southern Utah University ,

rdf:langString Peter Matthew Johnson

rdf:langString first African-American General Authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

rdf:langString accountant, professor of accountancy

rdf:langString Stephanie Lyn Chadwick

rdf:langString Peter M. Johnson (born November 29, 1966) is a general authority seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is the first African-American general authority in church history. Johnson was born and raised in Queens, New York City. In his early teens, he was a rapper performing at wedding receptions, high school dances, and block parties. In New York, Johnson became a Muslim, learning at the Nation of Islam at about age 12. When he was 14 years old, Johnson's mother brought him to Hawaii to live with her. In Hawaii, Johnson played basketball and eventually went to Brigham Young University–Hawaii on a basketball scholarship. He met with Latter-day Saint missionaries and was encouraged to join the LDS Church by one of his religion professors, but did not at that time. The next year he transferred to Dixie State College, where he continued to play basketball. He eventually was baptized as a member of the LDS Church while in Hawaii after his first year at Dixie State. After he completed his second year at Dixie State, Johnson served as a missionary for the LDS Church in the Alabama Birmingham Mission. Johnson attended Southern Utah University (SUU) and obtained both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in accounting. He played for the SUU basketball team scoring 753 total points and was named the team MVP after the 1990–91 season. Following his graduation in 1992, he began working for the Salt Lake accounting firm Grant Thornton International as a staff accountant.