Are you familiar with Dr. Umar Johnson? He’s a well-known figure in the Black community, and his ideas and teachings have generated a lot of buzz and controversy over the years. Dr. Umar Johnson is an educator, psychologist, and speaker who has gained a huge following for his work on issues related to the African American community. He’s known for his passionate and unapologetic approach to addressing social and political issues, and his teachings have inspired and challenged many people across the country.
In this blog post, we’ll closely examine Dr. Umar Johnson’s background, ideas, and impact on the Black community. We’ll explore some of his most controversial opinions and the criticism he’s faced over the years.
Dr. Umar Johnson’s Background
Dr. Umar was born in North Central Philadelphia on August 21, 1974, to a military drill instructor father, Jamal Abdullah-Johnson, and a mother named Barbara Shoemake. Despite his birth name being Jermaine Shoemake, he eventually adopted Umar Rashad Ibn Abdullah-Johnson, following his father’s Muslim lineage. He also goes by the nickname Umar Ifatunde Johnson.
Umar’s parents separated when he was still a young boy, and his father went on to marry Bernice Elizabeth Dockins, a preschool teacher. But despite the challenges and changes in his family life, Umar persevered and became a well-known educator, psychologist, and speaker, inspiring and challenging many people along the way.
Education
Dr. Umar Johnson started his education in the Duckery and Meade Elementary Schools in his native North Philadelphia community. He then attended the former Beeber Junior High School, where he was enrolled in an academically gifted program called Start Now. After graduating from Beeber in 1988, Johnson’s father enrolled him at the Scotland School for Veterans’ Children, where he graduated in June 1992
Later that same year, Johnson began his college journey at the Millersville University of Pennsylvania, where he pursued two Bachelor of Arts and Science degrees in psychology and political science. He graduated from Millersville in 1997. In 2012, he graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine with a Doctor of Psychology degree.
Career
Literature and Media
In 2011, Dr. Umar Johnson was featured in the documentary “The Untold History of People of Aboriginal, Moor, and African Descent,” directed by Tariq Nasheed. This was just the beginning of Dr. Umar’s foray into media, as he continued to share his message and ideas with a wider audience.
In 2013, Dr. Umar published his book “Psycho-Academic Holocaust: The Special Education & ADHD Wars Against Black Boys,” tackling a controversial topic head-on. He argued that ADHD was being misdiagnosed in the Black community and that the education system was using ADHD as a tool to stigmatize Black children. The book was praised and criticized, but one thing was clear – Dr. Umar was not afraid to speak his mind and take on difficult issues.
Fast forward to 2017, when Dr. Umar made a bold statement in a video clip. He asserted that “ADHD does not exist. Neither does the learning disability.” This was a controversial viewpoint that Dr. Umar had thought deeply about and was passionate about sharing.
School project
In June 2014, Dr. Umar Johnson announced his intention to purchase the former campus of Saint Paul’s College in Virginia to open a boarding school for Black boys. He planned to name it the Frederick Douglass Marcus Garvey Academy. Although he claimed to have sufficient funds to purchase the property in 2014, he did not do so.
In 2015, Johnson opened a GoFundMe account to raise money to “acquire and rehabilitate” either the former Saint Paul’s or Chamberlain-Hunt Academy in Mississippi. Despite Johnson’s efforts, his plans faced criticism. Some detractors, such as Charing Ball, questioned the project’s legitimacy, citing Johnson’s “homophobic and misogynistic” comments in YouTube videos.
The fate of the Frederick Douglass Marcus Garvey Academy remains uncertain. In 2019, a commentator from The Root criticized Johnson for never providing a business plan or obtaining a license for the school, despite his claim to have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. By April 2021, Dr. Umar Johnson stated that the school had completed construction but was not yet ready to open its doors. Still, the controversy surrounding Johnson’s efforts highlights the ongoing struggle to provide quality education to Black boys in the United States.
Legal issues
In December 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Psychology ordered Dr. Umar Johnson to attend a hearing the following month. He was accused of practicing psychology without a license. Johnson denied ever claiming to be a practicing licensed psychologist. After this, The Board ultimately decided not to strip him of any license.
Dr. Umar Personal Life
This dynamic figure stands tall at 6 feet 3 inches, making quite the impression wherever he goes. You can’t miss his piercing black eyes, which seem to gaze right through you, and his luscious black hair, which always seems on point. It’s interesting to note that Dr. Umar’s zodiac sign is Leo, which is fitting given his charismatic and regal nature.
Activism
Umar Johnson is a self-proclaimed “prince of Pan-Africanism” who promotes the idea of Black Americans identifying with their African roots worldwide. Dr. Umar is known for his pan-Africanist views, which he calls “Pan-Afrikanist.” He urges them to look beyond religion, nationality, profession, or fraternal organizations. He has been vocal about his opinions on various social issues in his social media postings.
Relationship
Dr. Umar Johnson is not your average guy, and he proved that when he tied the knot with not just one but two women. He affectionately calls them “Afrikan vanilla and Afrikan lemonade,” Their ceremony was even broadcast on Instagram Live for all to see. And as polygamy is illegal in the United States, marriage is not officially recognized. However, Johnson does not believe he needs “white man paperwork” to validate his union with his two loves. He’s made it clear that his love for his wives is all that matters to him.
Controversy
He has promoted various conspiracy theories and misinformation in his speeches and social media posts, including a viral Instagram post falsely claiming that Bill Gates sought “at least 3 billion people” to die as part of a population control scheme. Johnson has also accused the Population Council and Planned Parenthood of “using homosexuality as a population control strategy in the black community,” which many experts have refuted.
However, Johnson’s stance on interracial marriage, same-sex marriage, and conspiracy theories has stirred controversy. In January 2020, he made an unfounded claim that the National Basketball Association and the pharmaceutical industry had sabotaged the helicopter, leading to Kobe Bryant’s death. Later in May 2021, Johnson took issue with Kevin Samuels, whom he accused of slandering and criticizing Black women who do not conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.
In addition to his controversial views on homosexuality, Johnson has criticized former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden. In a 2021 speech at Lehigh University, Johnson claimed that the Obama administration “gave my civil rights over to the LGBTQ, …the feminist movement, … the Mexicans.” He has also criticized President Biden for not doing enough to protect Black people from police violence. But Johnson’s claims have been met with skepticism and criticism from many in the African American community.
Social media
Dr. Umar Johnson has been quite the social media sensation, garnering a massive following on both Instagram and Twitter. With a whopping 869k followers on his Instagram handle @drumarjohnson and over 201.1k followers on his Twitter handle @DrUmarJohnson, it’s safe to say that this controversial figure has made quite the impact online. His followers come from all walks of life and are a testament that his views resonate with many. From his witty one-liners to thought-provoking posts, it’s easy to see why he’s captured the attention of so many people across different platforms.
Umar Net Worth
The renowned Pan-Africanist has accumulated a significant amount of money through various sources. One of the ways he earns wealth is by selling books. Dr. Umar has authored several books on African American history and education, which have been well-received by his followers. In addition to selling books, he also teaches students, which further adds to his income. As of 2023, reports estimate his net worth to be around $600,000.
Conclusion
Dr. Umar Johnson is a complex figure with a controversial reputation. He is known for his outspokenness on various social and political issues and has a loyal following on social media platforms. Despite criticism from some quarters, he remains a prominent voice in the Black community and beyond. Regardless of one’s opinion of him, there’s no denying that Dr. Umar is an interesting personality whose ideas and actions have made him a noteworthy figure in contemporary America.
