It was not foreseen in 1871 in Jacksonville, Florida, that James Weldon Johnson would become a major part of the movement called the Harlem Renaissance. As a student at Atlanta University he was exposed to the depth of racism in the country. His poems were centralized around the theme of the struggles and aspirations of Blacks.
After college, he became a teacher and principal at segregated Stanton School in Florida. He also founded the Daily American, the first Black newspaper, in 1895. Although it only lasted for a year, it became a voice for Blacks against racism and promoted advancement through individual effort. Through his work he attracted the attention of W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington. In 1898, he became the first black lawyer to join the Florida Bar since Reconstruction. He practiced law with a former Atlanta University classmate while he continued to work at the Stanton School and write poetry. He began to dabble in songwriting with his brother Rosamond. In 1900, he wrote "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," with the help of his brother, for Lincoln's Birthday. The song became popular among the Black community and soon was declared as the "Negro National Anthem."
The Johnson brothers left Florida for New York City to pursue a career as songwriters in 1901. In five years, they had composed about 200 songs for Broadway and other musical productions. He became active in politics and became treasurer of New York's Colored Republican Club in 1904. Johnson chose the route of the conservative civil rights activist headed by Booker T. Washington as opposed to the radical faction led by W.E.B. DuBois. Washington helped Johnson attain the position of United States consul in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela in 1906. During his three years in Venezuela, he wrote his only novel, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, the story of a black musician who rejects his roots for a life of material comfort in the white world. He had poems published in the Century Magazine and The Independence.
In 1909, Johnson was promoted to consular post in Corinta, Nicaragua. The job proved to be more demanding than his previous post and left little time for writing. He left his post temporarily in 1910 to marry Grace Nail, the daughter of a successful New York tavern owner and real estate dealer. After he returned home in 1913 to settle his father's estate, he realized that his future as a consul had ended under President Wilson's administration. He returned to New York and became an editorial writer for the New York Age, the city's oldest and most distinguished Black newspaper. He wrote mainly conservative articles that promoted racial pride and self-improvement.
In the summer of 1916, Johnson attended the Armenia Conference on racial issues. Joel E. Springarn offered him the position of field secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Johnson proved to be most effective because he expanded the number of NAACP branches greatly. He also exposed how Americans exploited the Haitians. His findings were published in the Nation magazine. Later that year, he became general secretary for the NAACP. He stressed legal action, political pressure, and publicity in the flight against racism. His tactics proved to be the most effective movement against racism of his time.
By the end of 1930, Johnson was exhausted from the strenuous work and wanted more time to pursue his literary career. He resigned his position as general secretary and accepted a part-time teaching position for creative writing at Fisk University. This position allowed him ample time to pursue his literary career. His dream was short-lived because his car was struck by a train while he was traveling to his summer home in Maine in June 1938.
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Curator: Cassandra Jackson