James Weldon Johnson

Description

James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) was an American writer, poet, and civil rights activist. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and attended Atlanta University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1894. Johnson then attended Columbia University, where he earned a law degree in 1897.Johnson also wrote the song, “Lift Every  Voice and Sing .” which is know as the black national anthem.

Johnson worked as a teacher and lawyer before turning to writing. He became the first African American to pass the bar exam in Florida in 1898, and he also served as a principal at a high school in Jacksonville. In 1900, he published his first book, “The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man,” a novel that explored racial identity and passing.

Johnson went on to publish several collections of poetry and edited anthologies of African American literature. He is perhaps best known for writing the lyrics to “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black National Anthem. In addition to his literary work, Johnson was a prominent civil rights activist, serving as the first African American executive secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1920 to 1930.

Johnson’s contributions to American literature and civil rights activism were recognized in 1988, when he was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. In 2012, the United States Postal Service issued a stamp in his honor as part of its Black Heritage series.