James Weldon Johnson Research Paper

James Weldon Johnson: biographical sketch James Weldon Johnson (June 17, 1871 – June 26, 1938) made his contribution to society and culture as a civil rights activist and with his creations during the Harlem Renaissance. Among his most famous poems are Lift Every Voice and Sing, which was put to music and is known as the Negro National Anthem. In Having Our Say, Hearth states that James Weldon Johnson was one of many other African Americans at this time who made a difference with their art and literature, which birthed a new vibrant culture (1993 p. 135). Adelman (1967) stated, “The poetry he had written during his years with the NAACP was the finest he had ever done and among the best Negro poetry that had been written”(p. 145). He became part of the NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, in 1916 (Adelman 1967 p. 140). Johnson also created a newspaper called The Daily American in 1885, which expressed his and …show more content…
He stated in his autobiography that music took up the greater part of his life (1990 p.7). Johnson also stated, “When I was seven years old, I could play by ear all of the hymns and songs that my mother knew” (1990 p.6-7). Johnson also was fortunate to have a wonderful childhood, with lots of opportunities and little racism. He attended Atlanta University when he was sixteen, due to lack of high schools, then he graduated in 1894 , and he had been writing music since then (adelman 1967 p.129-130). Johnson was not fully satisfied with his career with music, so he started going to Columbia University to study Literature (adelman 1967 p.135). After Johnson had been studying at Columbia University, he decided to apply for a position at the United States Consular Services (adelman 1967 p.135). He became part of the U.S. Consul in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela in 1906, and was promoted to Consul in Corinto, Nicaragua in 1909 (adelman 1967