According to Nancy Troy, PHEWA executive director, Monroe was selected because “of his life-long commitment to social justice advocacy work for the least of these”, his service to the church, and to the broader communities that he has served so faithfully.”
During Dr. Monroe’s distinguished career he has preached, baptized, and nurtured thousands of people in congregations as well as been a “public pastor” to many outside his congregational fold. Currently he is pastor emeritus of Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, the “Mother congregation” among Black Presbyterian churches in Pittsburgh. He is also a founding member of the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary’s Metro Urban Institute Advisory Board, where he is currently an adjunct professor. When asked how he felt on hearing he will receive the John Park Lee Award, Dr. Monroe replied, “It was a pleasant surprise. We don’t do this ministry to be noticed but anytime someone honors the work you’ve done it’s a good feeling.”
A believer in the strong justice aspect of Jesus’ ministry, Johnnie Monroe has been a tireless advocate and fighter for justice and human dignity among all people, which also grows out of the historic struggle for justice rooted in the African American experience in the United States.
In addition to his ministry his civic leadership has been broadly recognized and affirmed. Monroe’s civic service includes board president of the Chester Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), president of the Chester Ministerial Alliance, and president of the board of directors of Delaware County Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) of America, a job training and placement resource for the unemployed and under-employed. In honor of his diligent work in establishing a fire station for its community, the station was named the Rev. Dr. Johnnie Monroe Fire Station of Chester, Pennsylvania in 1995.
