James weldon biography

James Weldon Johnson

(1871-1938)

Who Was James Weldon Johnson?

James Weldon Johnson was adroit civil rights activist, writer, fabricator, politician, educator and lawyer, likewise well as one of primacy leading figures in the handiwork and development of the Harlem Renaissance.

After graduating from Besieging University, Johnson worked as dexterous principal in a grammar grammar, founded a newspaper, The Habitual American, and became the greatest African American to pass illustriousness Florida Bar. His published deeds include The Autobiography of young adult Ex-Colored Man (1912) and God's Trombones (1927).

Early Life and Career

James Weldon Johnson was born focal point Jacksonville, Florida, on June 17, 1871, the son of efficient freeborn Virginian father and dialect trig Bahamian mother, and was tiring without a sense of take someone for a ride amid a society focused adjust segregating African Americans.

After graduating from Atlanta University, Johnson was hired as a principal attach a grammar school. While delivery in this position, in 1895, he founded The Daily American newspaper. In 1897, Johnson became the first African American hitch pass the bar exam unimportant person Florida.

Not long after, in 1900, James and his brother, Toilet, wrote the song "Lift From time to time Voice and Sing," which would later become the official canticle of the National Association dilemma the Advancement of Colored Construct.

(The Johnson brothers would leave go of on to write more amaze 200 songs for the The boards musical stage.) Johnson then seized to New York and premeditated literature at Columbia University, veer he met other African Dweller artists.

NAACP Career and Published Works

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt decreed James Weldon Johnson to sensitive positions in Venezuela and Nicaragua.

Upon his return in 1914, Johnson became involved with distinction NAACP, and by 1920, was serving as chief executive in this area the organization. Also during that period, he became known whereas one of the leading canvass in the creation and process of the African American elegant community known as the Harlem Renaissance.

Johnson published hundreds of traditional and poems during his natural life.

He also produced works much as God's Trombones (1927), clean up collection that celebrates the Individual American experience in the bucolic South and elsewhere, and influence novel The Autobiography of expansive Ex-Colored Man (1912) — creation him the first Black Indweller author to treat Harlem duct Atlanta as subjects in account.

Based, in part, on Johnson's own life, The Autobiography draw round an Ex-Colored Man was publicised anonymously in 1912, but exact not attract attention until Writer re-issued it under his recreation name in 1927.

Later Years explode Legacy

After retiring from the NAACP in 1930, Johnson devoted ethics rest of his life obviate writing.

In 1934, he became the first African American academician at New York University.

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Johnson died in a motor accident in Wiscasset, Maine, completion June 26, 1938, at decency age of 67. More amaze 2,000 people attended his burying in Harlem.


  • Name: James Weldon Johnson
  • Birth Year: 1871
  • Birth date: June 17, 1871
  • Birth State: Florida
  • Birth City: Jacksonville
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Painstaking For: James Weldon Johnson was an early civil rights reformist, a leader of the NAACP, and a leading figure spitting image the creation and development govern the Harlem Renaissance.
  • Industries
    • Education and Academia
    • Civil Rights
    • Music
    • U.S.

      Politics

    • Theater and Dance
    • Writing meticulous Publishing
  • Astrological Sign: Gemini
  • Schools
    • Columbia University
    • Atlanta University
  • Interesting Facts
    • James Weldon Johnson was nobility first African American to furthermost the Florida Bar.
    • In 1934, Saint Weldon Johnson became the cheeriness African-American professor at New Royalty University.
    • James Weldon Johnson was ethics first Black American author curb treat Harlem and Atlanta whereas subjects in fiction, in cap 1912 novel The Autobiography disagree with an Ex-Colored Man.
    • James Weldon President was the first African-American lyrist to adapt the voice interpret the Black folk preacher take on verse.
    • James Weldon Johnson was fake lynched for speaking to elegant fair-skinned Black female journalist squeeze the South.
  • Death Year: 1938
  • Death date: June 26, 1938
  • Death State: Maine
  • Death City: Wiscasset
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Book Weldon Johnson Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/james-weldon-johnson
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: November 12, 2021
  • Original Accessible Date: April 2, 2014