Byron Johnson was born on October 12, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois. He attended public schools in Illinois and Wisconsin and graduated from the Oconomowoc High School in 1933. Johnson began his undergraduate work in Madison at the University of Wisconsin in 1934. He was elected to Phi Kappa Phi and Delta Sigma Rho (speech) and Artus (economics). In addition to graduating with honors, Johnson was the recipient of the Herfurth Award for the most efficient senior man.
Upon graduation in 1938, Johnson married Catherine Teter; they have three children. While in graduate school, Johnson worked as a statistician for the Wisconsin State Board of Health, and as a rate analyst for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. In 1940, Johnson received his Master's degree in economics. Continuing his academic pursuits, Johnson completed his comprehensives for his Ph.D by 1942. Five years later his thesis, "The Principle of Equalization Applied to the Allocation of Grants-in-Aid" was published by the Social Security Administration, where he was employed from 1944 to 1947. He was the author of the Equalization Formula of the Hill-Burton Act.
Upon completion of his Doctorate, Johnson accepted a position as Assistant, and later Associate Professor of Economics at the College of Business Administration at the University of Denver. He remained at the University of Denver for the next nine years. In addition to his academic duties, Johnson was an active in the Denver community. Between 1948 and 1951 he organized and directed the construction of South Dahlia Lane, the first F.H.A.-insured, management-type, cooperative housing in the nation.
While visiting Professor of Economics at Columbia University in 1951, he served as a consultant to the Mayor's Tax Study in New York. He later served in a similar position for a mayor's tax study in Denver in 1954. From 1953-1958, Johnson was responsible for organizing and preparing for the construction of the first F.H.A.-insured housing for the elderly. This was a church-sponsored cooperative of 148 units at East Kentucky Circle in Denver. Johnson also helped secure the first legislation encouraging such housing developments. In 1956, he continued his work on elderly housing in New York as a consultant to the State Housing Commission.
Along with his increased activities in the community came an expansion of political activities. In 1955-1956, he was elected State Representative in the 40th General Assembly of Colorado. He became an administrative assistant to the Governor of Colorado in 1957 and in 1959 was elected a member of the United States House of Representatives. During his tenure, he served on the House Banking and Currency Committee.
Johnson's interest in such issues as housing and education won him recognition from the Colorado Chapter of the ACLU, which, in 1960, honored him with the Whitehead Memorial Award.
He became a Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado in 1965 while maintaining an active role in community affairs. In 1966, he served in a U.S. Delegation of the World Council of Churches. Also, Johnson was chairman of the Mayor's Committee on Mass Transit from 1966- 1967, a member of the HUD Secretary's Advisory Committee on Urban Transit from 1967-1968, and a board member of the Metro Denver Urban Coalition from 1968-1975.
From 1968-1970, Johnson was the director of the Center for Urban Affairs at the University of Colorado at Denver and, in 1970, was elected to the University of Colorado Board of Regents. In 1976, Johnson was re-elected and served until 1982.
Johnson's involvement in public transportation continued in 1975 when he became a member of the Public Transportation Council. In 1982, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Regional Transportation District (RTD) and, in 1984, Johnson was elected chairman of the board. In 1984, he also served on the Board of Directors for the American Public Transit Association and, in 1985, was vice-chairman of the Advanced Transit Association.
Today, Byron Johnson is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Colorado at Denver.