Rafer Johnson
1934 – 2020

Rafer Johnson

American athlete and actor (1934–2020)

decathleteathletics competitorbasketball playeractor
Born
1934-08-18, Hillsboro
Died
2020-12-02
Birthplace state
Texas

Biography

Rafer Lewis Johnson was an American decathlete and film and television actor. He was the 1960 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon, having won silver in 1956. He had previously won a gold at the 1955 Pan American Games. Johnson was the U.S. team's flag bearer at the 1960 Olympics and lit the Olympic cauldron at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Occupation

Rafer Johnson is recorded as a decathlete, a athletics competitor, a basketball player and a actor, born in Texas (1934–2020).

Connections to Texas

Rafer Johnson was born in Hillsboro, Texas in 1934. Explore other notable figures from Texas, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Texas›Texashistory ›Historic sites in Texas›
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Everything a full report reveals about Hillsboro

Rafer Johnson came from Hillsboro. A full Aubrey report on Hillsboro pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Texas

Other historical figures born in Texas, ranked by historical prominence.

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
president of the United States from 1953 to 1961 (1890–1969)
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
president of the United States from 1963 to 1969 (1908–1973)
Selena
Selena
American singer
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
American actress (1908–1977)
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds
American actress, singer, and dancer (1932–2016)
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze
American actor, producer, singer and dancer (1952–2009)
Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
American aviator, engineer, industrialist, and film producer (1905–1976)

Frequently asked about Rafer Johnson

Who was Rafer Johnson?
Rafer Johnson was American athlete and actor (1934–2020), born in Texas (1934 – 2020).
When and where was Rafer Johnson born?
Rafer Johnson was born on 1934-08-18 in Hillsboro.
When did Rafer Johnson die?
Rafer died on 2020-12-02.
What was Rafer Johnson known for?
Rafer Johnson is recorded as a decathlete, a athletics competitor, a basketball player and a actor.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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