Theodore R. Johnson
Northern Virginia
Contributing columnist
Education: Hampton University, BS in mathematics; Harvard University, ALM with a concentration in international relations; Northeastern University, doctorate of law and policy
Theodore (Ted) R. Johnson, a contributing columnist for The Washington Post, is a senior adviser for New America’s flagship Us@250 initiative, which centers on the 250th anniversary of the nation's independence in 2026 and the narratives that accompany it. His research and writing primarily explore the role that race plays in electoral politics and democratic culture, and its influence on the national narrative and the American identity. Johnson is a retired U.S. Navy Commander following a two-decade career that included service as a White House fellow and speechwriter to the chairman of the J