James Weldon Johnson (abt. 1871 - 1938)

Born about 17 Jul 1871 in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Grace Elizabeth (Nail) Johnson — married Feb 1910 in New York, United States

Died 26 Jun 1938 at about age 66 in Maine, United States

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James Johnson is part of a Bahamian family.

Biography

James Johnson is Notable.

This profile is part of the LaVilla, Jacksonville, Florida One Place Study.

James Johnson was awarded the Spingarn Medal for outstanding achievement by an African American.

James Weldon Johnson "was an American author, educator, lawyer, diplomat, songwriter, and civil rights activist. Johnson is best remembered for his leadership of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where he started working in 1917. In 1920 he was the first African American to be chosen as executive secretary of the organization, effectively the operating officer.[1] He served in that position from 1920 to 1930. Johnson established his reputation as a writer, and was known during the Harlem Renaissance for his poems, novels, and anthologies collecting both poems and spirituals of black culture."- See Wikipedia

"When the Civil War created so much unrest, Helen Louise and her mother, returned to Nassau, and James Johnson(Sr) followed. They were married in Christ Church Cathedral on April 22, 1864.

Bringing his wife back to America after the war and settling in Jacksonville, their first child was born, a girl, Marie Louise, on July 10, 1868. On July 17, 1871, James William (in 1913 he changed his middle name to Weldon), was born and on August 11, 1873, John Rosamond arrived."

James Weldon Johnson attained a degree from Atlanta University. He returned to Jacksonville, Florida. In 1880, he was living in Lavilla, a town on the outskirts of Jacksonville. He became principal of the Stanton high school in 1914. He served as principal for eight years, at which time he expanded the school from 8 to 12 grades, making it the only high school for blacks in Jacksonville.

James passed away in 1938 from a car accident in Maine.^[1] Burial was in the Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York.^[2]

The inspirational hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing" has lyrics written by James Weldon Johnson, with his brother John Rosemond Johnson providing the music.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81402516/james-weldon-johnson-saturday-july-9/
2. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #6125709, database and images (accessed 30 August 2020), memorial page for James Weldon Johnson (17 Jun 1871–26 Jun 1938), citing Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .

• Wikipedia contributors, "James Weldon Johnson," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Weldon_Johnson&oldid=822318970 (accessed 29 January 2018).
• Bio J W Johnson
• https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/collections/highlights/james-weldon-johnson-and-grace-nail-johnson-papers
• https://archives.yale.edu/repositories/11/resources/978
• https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81422330/james-weldon-johnson-the-news-journal/
• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNZ9-QMF : 24 August 2017), James W Johnson in household of James Johnson, Precinct 7, Duval, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district ED 31, sheet 499C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,126.
• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3DB-KXD : accessed 30 August 2020), James Johnson Jr. in household of James Johnson, Precinct 22 (north part) Jacksonville city Ward 8, Duval, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 52, sheet 17A, family 477, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,168.
• "Florida State Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNJ9-T9Z : 6 April 2020), James W Johnson in household of James Johnson, , Duval, Florida; citing p. , sheet letter A, number 636, line 44, NARA microfilm publication M845 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 888,963.
• "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-64N5 : 16 March 2018), James W Johnson, 1920; citing Passport Application, New York, United States, source certificate #185186, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 1106, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• https://blogs.loc.gov/music/2022/02/lift-every-voice-and-sing/?loclr=ealn
• LaVilla, Jacksonville, Florida One Place Study