NH State House could see first portrait of a person of color – bureaucratic confusion is tying that up 

By MICHAELA TOWFIGHI

Monitor staff

Published: 05-22-2023 2:42 PM

For the 200 portraits in the New Hampshire State House, there’s a common theme – most depict old, white men. Nine portraits recognize female leaders. But if a portrait of the late Rogers Johnson, former civil rights leader and state representative, ever adorns the capitol’s walls, it’d be the first to honor a person of color.

For state senators who introduced a bill to accept and hang a portrait in the likeness of Johnson, it’s important to honor the work of a man who served his life in dedication to public service in New Hampshire.

But now in the hands of the House, the recognition is rooted in parliamentary confusion, legislative gridlock and bipartisan debate on who is worthy of State House honors.

Honoring Johnson

In a state where 93 percent of the population is white, it would not be the first time Johnson has been a “first” for New Hampshire.

 He was the first Black lawmaker to serve as majority whip during his  S tate House tenure from 2001 to 2006.

He was the first chair of the state’s Diversity Council, which was formed in 2017 to advise the governor on ways to combat discrimination and advance diversity in the state.

His resume highlights years of public service – President of the Seacoast NAACP chapter, responsibilities in the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush.

And he served on numerous state advisory committees – like COVID-19 Equity Response, the Governor’s Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency and the State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

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It’s no question to those who knew him, that Johnson, who died in 2020 at 62, will inspire the next generation of public servants.

“There would be people who would look up at him and ask, ‘who was he, what did he do?’,” said his wife, Poppy, in a testimony in front of the Senate committee in January. “When people later looked at his life and found out that he had very humble beginnings, they would realize they also have a chance to make a difference the way Rogers did.”

And for James McKim, the current president of the Manchester NAACP, Rogers not only advanced diversity in the state through his council work, but also is a model for other representatives to follow.

“He used to say ‘I don’t go by party, I go by issue’,” said McKim, although Rogers was a member of the Republican Party. “He would have challenging difficult conversations with his own party members on many issues. His legacy is being able to reach across the aisle and get things done, which is something we’ve lost in our legislature today.”

State senators agree that Johnson’s legacy is clear. As a friend, colleague and leader in New Hampshire, it would be a no brainer to honor him in the capitol, they say.

“Anybody who knew Rogers understood what an extraordinary man he was. In so many ways this is just such an appropriate honor for Rogers. I also think him joining the portraits in the wall in this in the State House – it’s a very moving thing, a very good thing for what the State House is all about,” said Sen. David Watters, a Dover Democrat.

Bureaucratic red tape

While the bill passed the Senate with little hesitation – on a voice vote in January – it hasn’t been so swift in the House.

Nikki McCarter, a Belmont Republican, sat in the House Committee on Legislative Affairs last week wondering why a bill regarding Johnson’s portrait was even in front of her.

The purpose of the House committee is to consider anything to do with the legislature – mileage, elections, and House resolutions. Accepting a portrait for the State House is perhaps out of their purview, said committee members.

The state Legislature has a joint historical committee of senators and House members for this exact purpose – to collect and place portraits.

That committee is where the bill needs to go.

With dozens of committees and joint commissions, it’s necessary to ensure the bill makes it to the correct desks – setting future precedents for portrait policies, committee memebers said.

“I don’t feel that we are dishonoring. We’re not saying no – we’re saying let’s utilize this legislation to make sure that we’re on the right side of any collections policy that’s already in statute,” said George Hill, a Northfield Republican and chair of the legislative affairs committee.

But the stalled fate of Johnson’s portrait also leaves room for other representatives to question its legitimacy.

For Janet Wall, a Strafford Democrat who served as a state representative alongside Johnson, State House honors are for individuals who have made “significant contributions” state-wide. She suggested that his portrait could be better suited to be hung locally. 

“A lot of people would see it, recognize it, remember him for what he did and honor him more locally. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve to be here but I’m just saying that if you look at the plaques underneath the portraits we have now these individuals had longer-term, bigger contributions to the state,” she said.

Johnson’s state-wide contribution is evident, according to McKim. The Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency commission, which McKim and Johnson served on together to study policing in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, would not have come to fruition without his leadership.

“That’s a stall tactic,” said McKim. “He had impact at the state level. He was a state representative, not just a local representative. He was elected to serve in Concord at the state level. And he had a state-wide impact.”

The committee voted to retain the bill, meaning they can continue to workshop before potentially sending it out to the House floor for a vote. But not without one dissenting vote.

For Allison Nutting-Wong, a Hillsborough Democrat, although the procedure is important to iron out, the representation Johnson’s portrait provides still matters.

“I’ve seen the difference it makes in kids and adults when they see people that look like them on the walls of places or even just media,” she said. “I think it’s really important for the kids that come in here and for the rest of us to see the diversity that’s been in the House.

If anything, it’d further continue Johnson’s legacy, said McKim, inspiring future legislators and providing much-needed representation for people of color.

Each year, the fourth-grade trip to the State House for New Hampshire students is almost like a rite of passage, according to McKim. For students of color, the hundreds of portraits don’t represent their story. Johnson’s would.

“Seeing a person of color as a picture up there means something. It means that this day, at least on the surface, acknowledges and respects the contributions of people of color,” he said. “And it might just inspire one person of color to go into politics, which we sorely need.”

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