Individual | Inducted 2026 | Posthumously Inducted
Saundra DeAnne Johnson (October 13, 1960–January 21, 2026) devoted her life to advancing the dignity, health, and human rights of LGBTQ people, women, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Born at Cook County Hospital, she was a proud queer woman and a member of the now-defunct Ad Hoc Committee of Proud Black Lesbians and Gays. In 1993, she was instrumental in the committee’s inclusion in Chicago’s Bud Billiken Parade.
Johnson was a core member of ACT UP Chicago and a founding member of its Women’s Caucus. During the AIDS crisis, she advocated for women living with HIV/AIDS and their children, whose experiences were often overlooked. As one of the few African-American women in ACT UP Chicago, she worked to bring issues affecting Black communities to the forefront of the organization’s priorities. Fellow activists valued her wisdom, compassion, and ability to build bridges among people from different backgrounds.
Her activism included numerous acts of civil disobedience. During the 1990 National AIDS Actions for Healthcare, Johnson operated a community soup kitchen during ACT UP’s 24-hour vigil outside Cook County Hospital. At the time, 15 empty beds designated for women with AIDS remained unused because the County said it lacked the funds to build a separate bathroom. The following day, Johnson, along with the PISD and Women’s Caucus, helped lead a direct action that created an “AIDS ward” in the street, blocking the intersection in front of the County building. The ward opened to women days later.
Johnson also served as a case manager at the Chicago Women’s AIDS Project and volunteered with Open Hand Chicago, helping people access food-support services. She offered companionship and practical support to people living with AIDS during the most difficult years of the epidemic. Friends and colleagues remembered her as someone who did not seek recognition and consistently placed the needs of others first.
Johnson died on January 21, 2026, from complications related to congestive heart and kidney failure. Her work with ACT UP Chicago, the Chicago Women’s AIDS Project, Open Hand Chicago, and the Ad Hoc Committee of Proud Black Lesbians and Gays strengthened support for LGBTQ people and people living with HIV/AIDS across Chicago.