Suzan Johnson Cook - Early Career

Early Career

After college Johnson began a career in television, serving as a producer for several news affiliates in Boston, Washington, and Miami before deciding to enter ministry. A major inspiration for her decision was a childhood friend who later became the first black woman to earn a doctorate from Union Seminary. Johnson earned her Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary after being ordained in 1982. She then went on to become the senior pastor at the Mariners Temple Baptist Church from 1983 to 1996. She also became the first senior pastor in the 200-year history of the American Baptist Churches USA and the first woman to elected president of the Hampton University Ministers' Conference, a conference which represents all of the major historically-black denominations. Johnson also became the official chaplain of the New York City Police Department, a position which she would hold for twenty-one years, becoming the first and only woman to hold the position. Johnson Cook founded the Bronx Christian Fellowship Baptist Church in 1996, which she pastored until 2010. She also founded several non-profit and advocacy organization, such as the Multi-Ethnic Center Inc. She also founded Moving Up Productions, a communications, leadership, and consulting firm. Johnson Cook also taught at New York Theological Seminary from 1996 to 1998. She also spent time on the faculty at Harvard University, serving as a dean and a professor teaching in the areas of speech and communications. Johnson Cook was the goddaughter of Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr. She became a close friend of Scott King, officiating her funeral.