manager; the challenger promised to solve the city's crime problem in 90 days while giving few specific crime plans, making crime the central focus of the election. Critics charged that Johnson said crime was only a "perception." But he had complained about the "perception of hopelessness" which he said the media's focus on crime engendered. The phrase "perception of crime," while inaccurate, was used widely by opponents and critics of the incumbent mayor. Melton defeated the incumbent by 63 percent of the vote in the Democratic Primary. Melton easily defeated Republican challenger Rick Whitlow in the general election and succeeded Johnson as mayor of Jackson. Johnson is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He is an alum of National Urban Fellows, class of 1976. Johnson is also a deacon at the Hope Springs Missionary Baptist Church of Jackson, Mississippi. In early 2009, Johnson again ran for Mayor of Jackson. On Tuesday, May 5, 2009, he led a crowded field of ten candidates in the Democratic primary. Gaining 28% of the vote, Johnson was forced into a runoff with City Councilman Marshand Crisler, who had finished a close second with 27% of the vote. In the runoff two weeks later, Johnson defeated Crisler, winning in five of the seven wards, despite being outspent four to one. In a majority-black city that votes heavily Democratic, Johnson handily defeated Republican challenger George Lambus and four independent candidates in the June 2nd general election. Johnson's election has made him become the city's first three-term mayor since Dale Danks. Running for re-election in the Democratic primary on May 7, 2013, the veteran mayor was defeated by Chokwe Lumumba, Ward Two Councilman, and Jonathan Lee, former Chamber of Commerce president, in every city ward. Lumumba was elected but died in office in 2014. External links Harvey Johnson for Mayor References Mayors of Jackson, Mississippi African-American mayors in Mississippi Tennessee State University alumni University of Cincinnati alumni Living people 1946 births Politicians from Vicksburg, Mississippi 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American people