Johnnie was born Johnnie Mae Paynes on December 13, 1944, in Simmesport, Louisiana to Edward Paynes, Sr. and Gertrude Lee. Johnnie was the fifth oldest of eight children. Her siblings Edward Jr., Effie (Becky), Margaret, Velma, Amos, Juanita, and Anita all preceded her in death.
In high school, Johnnie was introduced to Fred Keller by her cousin, Floyd Anderson. Johnnie and Fred dated for several years before Fred entered the Air Force. After completing his service, Fred found his way back to Johnnie and they moved to Los Angeles. They married in 1969. In 1971, they welcomed their first son, Avery Omar. In 1974 their second son, Fred X-avier was born.
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Riles’ was originally from Louisiana and was orphaned at a young age. He came to Flagstaff in the mid-1930’s with his adoptive family so they could work at the sawmill. After graduating from NAU, Riles became a school principal in Flagstaff, where he endured segregation and institutionalized racism. He fought as a civil rights activist focusing on desegregating the city’s schools – a goal he and others achieved in 1953.
Riles later worked for the California State Department of Education and was elected state superintendent of public instruction – the first Black person ever elected to an executive position in California’s state government. He eventually received nine honorary doctorates and chaired an urban education task force at the request of then-President Richard Nixon.