U.S. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM MARKS FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE LOSS OF OFFICER STEPHEN TYRONE JOHNS
On June 10, 2009, Special Police Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns died heroically in the line of duty, protecting Museum visitors and staff from an avowed antisemite, Holocaust denier and racist. He is deeply missed by the Museum community and all who knew him, and the Johns family will always be in our thoughts and prayers.
The Museum wishes to express its gratitude for the tremendous outpouring of support it has received from around the world in the wake of this tragedy, particularly the thousands of individuals and organizations who so generously contributed to the special fund established to benefit the Johns family. (This fund was closed in October 2009.)
The Museum was created to confront the very hate that took Officer Johns’ life. To honor his memory, the Museum has established the Stephen Tyrone Johns Summer Youth Leadership Program to challenge young people to embrace the ideals he sacrificed his life protecting. This unique annual program, which will launch this month, is an intensive, seven-week Museum internship for approximately 50 outstanding Washington-area students.