Judge Clifton Johnson, a 1961 graduate of E.J. Hayes High School, was the first African American to become assistant state prosecutor for North Carolina, District Court Judge of Mecklenburg County, Chief District Court Judge, Resident Superior Court Judge for North Carolina, and an appointee to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. While serving on the appellate court, he was chairman of the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission. His other accomplishments included serving as a North Carolina Court of Appeals recall judge and a North Carolina Emergency Superior Court judge.