Changes

In 1937, after a short time as a stringer correspondent for several newspapers, including ''The Jackson Daily News'', ''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', and the ''Memphis Commercial Appeal'', Johnston became one of eight members of the staff then of ''The Clarion-Ledger'', his state's largest paper. He worked there as state regional editor, political reporter, and editor of petroleum and [[natural gas]] issues. He was also the first staff [[photographer]] for a Mississippi daily newspaper. In 1941, he bought half interest in the weekly paper,  ''The Scott County Times'' in Forest, a small city in Scott County in central Mississippi.<ref name=bio/> In 1942, at the age of twenty-four, Johnston bought out his partner's half interest to become sole owner of ''The Scott County Times'', which thereafter won many awards of excellence from the Mississippi Press Association. In 1949, at the age of thirty-one, Johnston was elected the youngest president thus far of the Mississippi Press Association. He was the only journalist who did not attend college inducted into gma Delta Chi]], the national journalism [[fraternity]]. Johnston served in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]]. While he was in the military from 1945 to 1946, his wife, the former Fay Martin (1919-1999), operated the paper.<ref name=papers/> He remained with ''The Scott County Times'' until he sold it 1983.<ref name=nyt/>

In 1937, after a short time as a stringer correspondent for several newspapers, including ''The Jackson Daily News'', ''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', and the ''Memphis Commercial Appeal'', Johnston became one of eight members of the staff then of ''The Clarion-Ledger'', his state's largest paper. He worked there as state regional editor, political reporter, and editor of petroleum and [[natural gas]] issues. He was also the first staff [[photographer]] for a Mississippi daily newspaper. In 1941, he bought half interest in the weekly paper,  ''The Scott County Times'' in Forest, a small city in Scott County in central Mississippi.<ref name=bio/> In 1942, at the age of twenty-four, Johnston bought out his partner's half interest to become sole owner of ''The Scott County Times'', which thereafter won many awards of excellence from the Mississippi Press Association. In 1949, at the age of thirty-one, Johnston was elected the youngest president thus far of the Mississippi Press Association. He was the only journalist who did not attend college inducted into gma Delta Chi]], the national journalism [[fraternity]]. Johnston served in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]]. While he was in the military from 1945 to 1946, his wife, the former Fay Martin (1919-1999), operated the paper.<ref name=papers/> He remained with ''The Scott County Times'' until he sold it 1983.<ref name=nyt/>

In 1960, segregationist Governor Ross Barnett appointed Johnston as director of public relations of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, an agency established in 1956 to oppose encroachment on state [[sovereignty]] by the [[United States government]]. The commission thereafter sought to publicize what it claimed were the advantages to both races of segregation in Mississippi. [[Civil rights]] activists opposed the commission. In 1963, Johnston became the executive director of the commission, a position which he filled until 1968, when he resigned from the organization. His service as executive director was principally under the administration of Barnett's successor, Paul B. Johnson, Jr.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://crdl.usg.edu/people/j/johnston_erle/?Welcome|title=Johnston, Erle (biography)|publisher=crdl.usg.edu|accessdate=April 14, 2016}}</ref> Johnston once told an interviewer that the opponents had exaggerated the role of the commission, which he believed had succeeded in "keeping down tension and confrontation."<ref name=nyt>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/28/obituaries/e-e-johnston-77-segregation-figure.html|title=E. E. Johnston, 77, Segregation Figure|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=September 28, 1995|accessdate=April 14, 2016}}</ref>  

In 1960, segregationist Governor Ross Barnett appointed Johnston as director of public relations of the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission, an agency established in 1956 to oppose encroachment on state [[sovereignty]] by the [[United States government]]. The commission thereafter sought to publicize what it claimed were the advantages to both races of segregation in Mississippi. [[Civil rights]] activists opposed the commission. In 1963, Johnston became the executive director of the commission, a position which he filled until 1968, when he resigned from the organization. His service as executive director was principally under the administration of Barnett's successor, Paul B. Johnson, Jr.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://crdl.usg.edu/people/j/johnston_erle/?Welcome|title=Johnston, Erle (biography)|publisher=crdl.usg.edu|accessdate=April 14, 2016}}</ref> Johnston once told an interviewer that the opponents had exaggerated the role of the commission, which he believed had succeeded in "keeping down tension and confrontation."<ref name=nyt>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/28/obituaries/e-e-johnston-77-segregation-figure.html|title=E. E. Johnston, 77, Segregation Figure|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=September 28, 1995|accessdate=April 14, 2016}}</ref>  

In 1962, in an address at his alma mater, Grenada High School, Johnston addressed the threat facing school segregation in Mississippi:

In 1962, in an address at his alma mater, Grenada High School, Johnston addressed the threat facing school segregation in Mississippi: