Javon Johnson
Asst. Professor of Performance Studies Communication Studies Department San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Avenue San Francisco, CA 94132 Phone: (415) 405-2116 or (310) 920-3596 Email: [email protected]
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Northwestern University, 2010. Performance Studies; Certificate in Gender Studies and Cognate in African-American Studies Dissertation: My Words Dance: Doing Race, Gender, & Sexuality in Slam and Spoken Word Poetry Communities in Chicago & Los Angeles. Advisor and Chair: E. Patrick Johnson, Ph.D. Committee: D. Soyini Madison, Ph.D., Harvey Young, Ph.D M.A. California State University at Los Angeles, 2005. Communication Studies B.A. California State University at Los Angeles, 2003. Communication Studies
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS, AFFILIATIONS, & PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
2013-present Assistant Professor of Performance and Communication Studies, San Francisco State University 2015-present Faculty Associate, Metro College Success Program, San Francisco State University 2013-present Faculty Affiliate, Sexuality Studies, San Francisco State University 2013-present Faculty Affiliate, Africana Studies, San Francisco State University 2013-present Faculty Affiliate, Creative Writing, San Francisco State University 2012-2013 Program Manager of History/Curator, California African American Museum (Los Angeles) 2010-2013 Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow, American Studies & Ethnicity, University of Southern California 2011-2013 Faculty Associate, Foundations of Self for Student Athletes, University of Southern California 2005-2010 Instructor, Performance Studies, Northwestern University 2009-2010 Instructor, African American Studies, Northwestern University 2009-2010 Theatre and Tech Manager for the Alvina Krause Studio, Northwestern University 2003-2005 Instructor, Communication Studies, California State University, Los Angeles FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS, & AWARDS
2015 The Teagle Foundation Grant, San Francisco State University, to fund curriculum redesign 2015 Instructional Related Research Awards, San Francisco State University, to fund a student led slam poetry group 2014 Instructional Related Research Awards, San Francisco State University, to fund a student led slam poetry group 2012 Finalist for the University of Southern California’s Stephen B. Sample Parents Council Teaching and Mentoring Award 2006 Top Paper in the Performance Studies Division of the 92nd National Communication Association for “Towards a Poetic Politic of Emancipation: Slamming the Black Body on the Performance Poetry Stage”
PUBLICATIONS
Books Killing Poetry: Performing Blackness, Poetry Slams and the Making of Spoken Word Communities. Forthcoming, Rutgers University Press 2016
Chiraq: War Cries, Love and Other Stories from the Murder Capital. Northwestern University Press.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
2015 “Black Joy in the Time of Ferguson.” QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking. 2.2 (2015): 177-183. 2015 “Angelic Trash: Employing Blackness as a Way to Rethink Hypermasculinity (with Thanks to Mike Tyson).” In revisions with Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men. 2015 “Blasphemously Black: Reflections on Performance and Pedagogy.” Under review with Liminalities. 2010 "Manning Up: Race, Gender and Sexuality in the Los Angeles Poetry Community.” Text & Performance Quarterly 30.4 (2010): 396-419.
Book Chapters 2016 “Training Day.” Racial Representation in American Cinema. Rutgers University Press, forthcoming. 2016 Dear White People.” Racial Representation in American Cinema. Rutgers University Press, forthcoming. 2016 “Menace II Society.” Racial Representation in American Cinema. Rutgers University Press, forthcoming. 2008 “How My Dad Became My Father: Reflections on Fathering, Black Masculinity, Absence, Reconciliation and Love.” Barbershop Chronicles. New York: Penmanship Books, 2008. 31-2.
Javon L. Johnson - CV2 2008 “Why I Like Gold Fronts: Confronting Classism in Black America.” Barbershop Chronicles. New York: Penmanship Books, 2008. 78-80. 2006 Alexander, Bryant K. with Javon L. Johnson. “Placement and Displacement of Black Identity: The Case of Migration across Borders from Campus to Community.” In Alexander’s Performing Black Masculinity: Race, Culture, and Queer Identity. New York: Alta Mira Press, 2006. 33-68. Book Reviews
2015 McCune, Jeffrey Q. Sexual Discretion: Black Masculinity and the Politics of Passing. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2014. 202. Liminalities, forthcoming. Blog/Newspaper/ Magazine 2014 “I’m Dunn (But Not Really) With This: A Few Notes on Strategic Apathy and White Supremacy.” Huffingtonpost.com/javon-johnson. Huffington Post. Web. 19 Feb 2014. 2013 “Cuz (S)he’s Black, Too, and Sometimes Queer.” The Root 9 October 2013. 4 December 2013.
Poetry
Javon L. Johnson - CV3 2008 “Dance.” A Bigger Boat: The Unlikely Success of the Albuquerque Poetry Slam Scene. Ed. Susan McAllister et. al. Albuquerque: U of New Mexico P, 2008. 231-33. 2002 “10 Quick Ways to Please Your Man.” Poets Without Limits. Ed. Lisa May Arnal. Los Angeles: Capricorn Dreams Press, 2002. 56-7. 2002 “His-story’s Chalk.” Poets Without Limits. Ed. Lisa May Arnal. Los Angeles: Capricorn Dreams Press, 2002. 58-60. 2002 “Addicted.” Poets Without Limits. Ed. Lisa May Arnal. Los Angeles: Capricorn Dreams Press, 2002. 61-2.
PRESENTATIONS Invited Colloquia and Lectures
2015 “And, Your Kids Will Be Painted Black.” Proceedings of the Second Biennial Black Arts Initiative Conference, June 4-6, 2015. Evanston: Northwestern University, 2015.
2015 “Guest Speaker.” Proceedings of the Communication Arts and African American Leadership Institute April 24, 2015. San Diego: Southwestern College, 2015
2015 “Guest Speaker.” Proceedings of Prairie View A&M University’s Annual Communication Studies Week, February 23-27, 2015. Houston: Prairie View A&M University, 2015
2014 “Guest Speaker.” Proceedings of the Love and Liberations Conference February 19, 2015. San Diego: Southwestern College, 2014
2013 “Beyond Diversity: Counting Bodies and Bodies Counting.” Keynote Lecture. Providence College, Providence. 30 Aug. 2013
2011 “Black Men are Beautiful and Ugly Too.” Proceedings of the Posing Beauty in African American Culture Exhibit, September 7-December 11, 2011: The Image of Masculinity. Los Angeles: USC Fisher Museum of Art, 2011
2010 “‘No Homo’: Towards a More Inclusive Black Communities.” Proceedings of the University of Southern California’s Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs Annual Distinguished Speaker Series, August 30, 2010. Los Angeles: USC, 2010
2006 “Black.White. & Wrong All Over: A Brief Exploration of Televisual Race. Proceedings of the Black Performance Studies Symposium, October 21, 2006. Evanston: NU, 2006
Javon L. Johnson - CV4 2006 “The Portable Promised Land: Searching for the (In)Visible Black Woman on the Slam and Spoken Word Poetry Stage (With Apologies to Toure).” Proceedings of Northwestern’s Performance Studies/Interdisciplinary Program in Theatre and Drama/Radio Television Film Studies Fall Colloquium, October 7, 2006. Evanston: NU, 2006
2006 “Confronting My Monsters: Reflections on Black Masculinity and Love.” Arizona State University’s Performing Race, Performing Spoken Word Symposium, February 4, 2006. Tempe: ASU, 2006
Refereed Scholarly Presentations
2015 “ ‘To Pimp A Butterfly: A Critical Discussion of Kendrick Lamar in Make(r) Space.” Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Cultural Studies Association, May-21-24, 2015. Riverside: CSA 2015
2014 “NCA @ 100 Performance Studies Open Mic Archive.” Proceedings of the One Hundredth Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association, November 19-23, 2014. Chicago: NCA 2014
2014 “Instant Gratification: An Immediae Performative Response to ‘The Presence of Our Past(s): NCA at 100.” Proceedings of the One Hundredth Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association, November 19-23, 2014. Chicago: NCA 2014
2014 “Transferring Intersectional and Performative Responses to Mediated Representations of Sexuality: The Cases of Cyrus, Tubman, and Chapman.” Proceedings of the Eighty-Fifth Annual Meeting of the Western States Communication Association, February 14-18, 2014: Anaheim: WSCA, 2014.
2011 “Owning Blackness: Performance and Politics.” Proceedings of the Ninety-Seventh Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association, November 17-20, 2011: Can You Hear Me Now? Performing Poetry, Pop Culture, and Politics. New Orleans: NCA, 2011
2011 “A N*gga Moment: Blackness as a Way of Rethinking the Hyper- Masculine.” Proceedings of the Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the American Studies Associations, October 20-23, 2011: Transforming the Framework, Re-Imagining Black Masculinities. Baltimore: ASA, 2011.
2010 “Give Me My Space: Segregation in Chicago's Slam and Spoken Word Poetry Community.” Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the American Studies Associations, November 18-21, 2010: Spit!:
Javon L. Johnson - CV5 Ethnographic Explorations of the Performances of Race and Gender in Slam Poetry and Hip-Hop Communities. San Antonito: ASA, 2010.
2008 “SomeBody Slow Down: Aesthetics, Orature and Embodied Narratives in Slam and Spoken Word Poetry.” Proceedings of the Thirty-Second Annual Meeting of Oral History in the Mid-Atlantic Region, March 13-15, 2008: BodyStories: Reflections on the Complexities of Embodying Oral Histories. New York: OHMAR, 2008.
2007 “Scripting The Flip: Still Displaying the Black Body the Way You Like It.” Proceedings of the Ninety-Third Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association, November 15-18, 2007: Scripting The Flip: Still Displaying the Black Body the Way You Like It, Panel Chair. Chicago: NCA, 2007.
2007 “Historically Stylized Performances: Expected Bodies, Dynamic Discourses and Power in Performance Poetry.” Proceedings of the Ninety- Third Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association, November 15-18, 2007: Scripting The Flip: Still Displaying the Black Body the Way You Like It, Panel Chair. Chicago: NCA, 2007.
2007 “Sorry Langston, But I am Not Sure We Will Ever Conquer the “Racial Mountain”: A Critical Discussion of Black Artists from the Harlem Renaissance to the Here and the Now.” Proceedings of the Ninety-Third Annual Meeting of the National Chicago: NCA, Communication Association, November 15-18, 2007: Voices from the Past, Lessons for the Future: Rhetorical (Re)discoveries of Self. Chicago: NCA, 2007.
2007 “Talking About the Black & Brown: Race, Riots, Hip-Hop and High School in South Central, Los Angeles.” Proceedings of the Ninety-Third Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association, November 15-18, 2007: (Re)claiming Public/Popular Spaces: Passing, Negotiating, Inventing Strategies for Communicating Latina/o Worldviews. Chicago: NCA, 2007.
2006 “Towards a Poetic Politic of Emancipation: Slamming the Black Body on the Performance Poetry Stage.” Proceedings of the Ninety-Second Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association, November 26-29, 2006: Contributed Papers in Performance Studies, Top Honors. San Antonio: NCA, 2006.
2006 “Performer.” Proceedings of the Ninety-Seventh Annual Meeting of the Eastern States Communication Association, April 26-30, 2006: Spoken Word Poetry Café, Part II. Philadelphia: ESCA, 2006.
Javon L. Johnson - CV6 2006 “Performer.” Proceedings of the Ninety-Seventh Annual Meeting of the Eastern States Communication Association, April 26-30, 2006: Spoken Word Poetry Showcase, Part I. Philadelphia: ESCA, 2006.
2006 “Performing Poetry/Performing Black Maleness: A Critical Auto(poetic)ethnography.” Proceedings of the Seventy-Fifth Annual Meeting of the Central States Communication Association, April 5-9, 2006: Contributed and Debut Papers in Performance Studies and Theatre. Indianapolis: CSCA, 2006.
2005 “I Didn’t Know Niggas Talked Politics!” Proceedings of the Nintey-First Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association, November 17-20, 2005: It Takes a Village: Generations of Black Performance Studies Scholars Engaging Performance. Boston: NCA, 2005.
2005 “Performing Violent Attacks on the Black Penis: A Critical Exploration of Enzyte’s Male Enhancement Campaign, and other Narratives that Seek to (Dis)place Black Masculinity and Identity.” Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual California State University System Research Competition, April 29-30, 2005: Second Place in the Humanities and Letters Graduate Student Division. Sacramento: CSU, 2005.
2005 “(De)Evolution of a Poet.” Proceedings of the Seventy-Sixth Annual Meeting of the Western State Communication Association, February 18- 22, 2005: Spoken Word Performance: Shifting from Thirdspace to Center Stage. San Francisco: WSCA, 2005.
INSTITUTIONAL & PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Administrative Service
2015-present San Francisco State University’s Communication Studies Department Curriculum Committee, Chair 2013-2015 San Francisco State University’s Communication Studies Department Curriculum Committee 2010-2013 University of Southern California’s Arts and Humanities Committee 2011-2013 University of Southern California’s Athletic Leadership Committee 2011-2012 University of Southern California’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative
Conference Administration
2013-present Reviewer, National Communication Association, Performance Studies Division
Javon L. Johnson - CV7 2013-present Reviewer, Western States Communication Association, Performance Studies Division
Editorial Service
2013-present Associate Editor, Text & Performance Quarterly
CURATORIAL WORK
2013 “Geoffrey & Carmen: A Memoir in Four Movements.” Los Angeles: California African American Museum, originated from the DuSable Museum of African American History. October 2013 – March 2014. 2013 “Afrodescendientes: Photographer Roberto Chile in Guanabacoa, Cuba.” Los Angeles: California African American Museum. March 2013 – October 2013. 2013 “Coloring America: Selections from the California African American Museum’s Permanent History Collection.” Los Angeles: California African American Museum. October 2012 – January 2013.
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES
National/Cable Television
2014 The Arsenio Hall Show, CBS (Los Angeles, CA) 2013 Verses & Flow, TVOne (Los Angeles, CA) 2012 Verses & Flow, TVOne (Los Angeles, CA) 2011 Verses & Flow, TVOne (Los Angeles, CA) 2006 Nationally aired commercial for the Big 10 (Chicago, IL) 2005 Crossover, Showtime (Los Angeles, CA) 2005 Spit, documentary (Los Angeles, CA) 2004 Lyric Café , BET (Los Angeles, CA) 2004 BET’s The Way We Do It, BET (Los Angeles, CA) 2003 Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Jam, HBO (New York, NY)
Live in Notable Venues
2014 Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (Los Angeles, CA) 2013 Radio City Music Hall (New York, NY) 2013 Fox Theater (Detroit, MI) 2013 The Wolf Trap Performing Arts Center (Washington, VA) 2013 Delta Classic Chastain Park Amphitheater (Atlanta, GA) 2013 Bankers Life Field House (Indiana, IN) 2009 The Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA) 2007 Lookinglass Theatre (Chicago, IL) 2006 The Luckman Fine Arts Complex (Los Angeles, CA) 2005 House of Blues (Los Angeles, CA)
Javon L. Johnson - CV8 2005 Albuquerque’s Convention Center (Albuquerque, NM) 2004 Pageant Theatre (St. Louis, MO) 2003 Navy Pier Promenade’s Skyline Theatre (Chicago, IL)
INVITED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCES & WORKSHOPS, 2007-present
Villanova University Pepperdine University Ohlone College Bermuda College University of California Santa Cruz Southwestern College University of Nevada Las Vegas York University St. Augustine’s University Providence College Hall University North Carolina at Greensboro Indiana University Southern Illinois University Brooklyn Polytechnic University of Southern California Texas A&M University Southern Illinois University Northwestern University Kennesaw State University University of Southern California Arizona State University California State University, Los Angeles California State University, Long Beach California State University, Northridge California State Polytechnic University, San Louis Obispo California State University, Chico Kennesaw State University University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Riverside Colorado College of the Mines Pierce, Payallup Ohio University Whittier College Ursinus College Drew University Iona College Kutztown University University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown Stevenson University Orange County, SUNY
Javon L. Johnson - CV9 Penn State, Brandywine Central Missouri University Florida Atlantic University of Memphis Emily Fisher Prep Penn State, Burks Roger Williams College Longwood University University of Florida Glendale Community College Radford University Colorado College Ohio University University of Virginia, Wise Johnson & Wales University Hope College Wartburg University of Texas, San Antonio
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Assistant Professor of Communication and Performance Studies, San Francisco State University
Oral Interpretation of Literature Oral Interpretation of the First Person Voice Qualitative Research Methods Performance Art and Social Criticism Communication and Masculinities Critical/Cultural Communication Creative Writing: Oral Poetics
Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Southern California
Race and Class in Los Angeles African American Popular Culture Race, Gender and Sexuality
Graduate Instructor, Northwestern University
Analysis and Performance of Literature Performance of Black Literature:
Graduate Instructor, California State University at Los Angeles
Javon L. Johnson - CV10 Oral Communications Introduction to Oral Interpretation Performance Studies Performance for Social Change The Socio-Cultural Impact of Globalization on the Developing World
Lecturer, El Camino College Compton Center
Effective Speaking
Lecturer, Los Angeles City College
Oral Communication
STUDENT ADVISING & MENTORING
Graduate Student Advising
2016 Caulkin, Megan. “Making Pretty: Modern Day Identity Construction Meets Instagram.” Master’s of Arts Thesis. San Francisco State University, Anticipated 2016. Committee Member Areas of Study: Rhetoric, New Media, Identity Thoery.
2016 Romero, Omar. “Ships In The Night: Performing Utopia at a Queer Dance Party.” Master’s of Arts Thesis. San Francisco State University, Anticipated 2016. Committee Member Areas of Study: Performance, Ethnography, Critical Race Theory, Queer Thoery, Latinidad.
2014 Lindsey Ayotte. “Performing Personal Narratives: A Creative Work Project that Explores the ways Childcare Workers in the Bay Area Perform Emotional Labor.” Master’s of Arts Thesis. San Francisco State University, November 2014. Committee Member Areas of Study: Communication, Performance, Ethnography, Childcare work.
Undergraduate Advising, Honors Thesis
2011 Mason, Kate. "Da Poetry Lounge: Performative Expressions and the Discursive Community." Undergraduate Thesis. University of Southern California, May 2011. Advisor
Student Groups and Organizations
2013-present San Francisco State University’s S.P.E.A.K. Faculty Advisor 2011-2013 University of Southern California’s ResED Faculty Staff Mentor
Javon L. Johnson - CV11 2011-2013 University of Southern California’s Student Athlete Academic Services, Athlete Mentor 2011-2012 University of Southern California’s Loaded Language Faculty Advisor 2010 Homecoming (Student Play): Northwestern University, May 2010. Advisor 2009-2010 OpeNUp (Performance Poetry Group): Northwestern University, 2010. Advisor
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Studies Association National Communication Association Performance Studies International Western States Communication Association
REFERENCES
E. Patrick Johnson, Ph.D. Carlos Montezuma Professor of Performance Studies and African American Studies Department of Performance Studies Northwestern University Annie May Swift Hall 1920 Campus Drive, Room G08 Evanston, IL 60208 847-467-2756 [email protected]
George Sanchez, Ph.D. Vice Dean for Diversity and Strategic Initiatives Professor of English and American Studies & Ethnicity and History Mentor University of Southern California 3607 Trousdale Parkway, ADM 304 Los Angeles, CA 90089-2534 [email protected] 213-740-5933
Tara McPherson, Ph.D. Associate Professor Critical Studies USC School of Cinematic Arts University of Southern California University Park, SCA 320 Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211
Javon L. Johnson - CV12 213-740-3334 [email protected]
Bryant K. Alexander, Ph.D. Dean of The College of Fine Arts Loyola Marymount University College of Communication and Fine Arts 1 LMU Drive Los Angeles, CA 90045 310-338-7430
D. Soyini Madison, Ph.D. Professor and Director of Graduate Studies Department of Performance Studies Northwestern University Annie May Swift Hall 1920 Campus Drive, Room G06 Evanston, IL 60208 847-491-5372 [email protected]
Harvey Young, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Theatre President, Black Theatre Association Vice President, Association for Theatre in Higher Education Theatre and Interpretation Center, Room 215A Northwestern University 1949 Campus Drive Evanston, IL 60208-2430 847-491-3262 [email protected]
Dwight A. McBride, Ph.D. Dean of The Graduate School Associate Provost for Graduate Education The Graduate School Northwestern University 633 Clark Street Evanston, IL 60208-1113 847-491-8502 [email protected]
Lanita Jacobs, Ph.D. Associate Professor & Director of Graduate Studies Department of Anthropology and American Studies & Ethnicity
Javon L. Johnson - CV13 University of Southern California 3620 South Vermont Avenue, KAP 462 Los Angeles, CA 90089-2534 213-740-3334 [email protected]
Javon L. Johnson - CV14