About Our Griot

It is with reverence and deep affection that we share the living legacy of Viola Johnson, affectionately known across generations as Mama Vi.

A formidable leatherwoman, visionary activist, captivating speaker, and accomplished author, Mama Vi has stood as a cornerstone of the leather, BDSM, and kink communities for over four decades. Her presence is not simply one of participation—it is one of preservation, mentorship, and generational guidance. Dubbed “Mom” by scores of Leathermen and Leatherwomen, she has grown into “Grandmom,” “Great Grandmom,” and now joyfully, “Great-Great Grandmom” to a new wave of kinklings exploring their paths with pride.

Mama Vi is the founder, director, and Senior Griot of the Carter/Johnson Leather Library and Collection—a living, traveling archive housing more than 15,000 works including books, periodicals, posters, ephemera, and art chronicling the evolution and history of SM, Leather, and Kink culture. Her unwavering belief in the power of our collective story led to the establishment of this 501(c)(3) institution, a library that brings our past to the communities that need it most.

Beyond the shelves and symposiums, Viola’s contributions stretch into halls of academia and circles of community leadership. She has spoken at colleges such as Bryn Mawr, Barnard, Oklahoma State, and Kean, serving as both educator and elder. She has held board positions with the Leather Archives & Museum, the Leather Hall of Fame, and continues to shape the future of history through her guidance on the Carter/Johnson Library board.

Mama Vi is a lifetime member of ONYX, one of the original ONYX Pearls Mid-Atlantic, and holds affiliations with organizations such as T.U.L.S.A., Lesbian Sex Mafia, Hooker & Boys Leather &Levi Club, and numerous others who have embraced her as honorary kin.

Her voice has graced magazines, newspapers, and anthologies across the decades. She is the author of two works of fiction—Dhampir, Child of the Blood and To Love, To Obey, To Serve—each an echo of the strength and complexity found in the lives she chronicles.

Viola shares her life with her beloved wife Jill Carter, International Ms. Leather 1996 and the first Black titleholder of that distinction. Their partnership spans over half a century—a union not just of love, but of movement, mentorship, and memory.

Here in the Library, her story lives not just in print, but in the spirit of every soul she has uplifted. Mama Vi is not merely part of our history—she is the history.