Chrystal S. Johnson is a professor of social studies education at Purdue University whose scholarship explores how race, racism, and culture shape K–12 teacher practice and the civic development of Black, Hispanic, and economically marginalized youth. Her research spans large-scale secondary analyses, qualitative counter-narratives, and design-based inquiry, always with a focus on justice-oriented, culturally responsive civic education. Dr. Johnson’s recent publications include Civic Performance Outcomes and Market Morality (Journal of Social Studies Research, 2025), The Civic Side of American Charter Schools (International Journal of Educational Development, 2024), and Preparation Citizen: Assessing the Civic Outcomes of Charter Schools (Journal of School Choice, 2024). Across these works, she critically examines how civic opportunity is shaped by school context, policy, and ideology—often revealing insights masked by traditional achievement gap framings. As director or co-director of major teacher professional development initiatives—including Project RISE and the NEH-funded From Plessy to Brown—she has led the creation of a mobile app, sustained professional learning communities, and instructional models that help educators foster culturally consonant and intellectually rigorous civic learning for all students.