The Essential Writings of James Weldon Johnson
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–Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
One of the leading voices of the Harlem Resaissance and a crucial literary figure of his time, James Weldon Johnson was also an editor, songwriter, founding member and leader of the NAACP, and the first African American to hold a diplomatic post as consul to Venezuela and Nicaragua. This comprehensive volume of Johnson’s works includes the seminal novel Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, poems from God’s Trombones, essays on cultural and political topics, selections from Johnson’s autobiography, Along This Way, and two previously unpublished short plays: Do You Believe in Ghosts? and The Engineer. Featuring a chronology, bibliography, and a Foreword by acclaimed author Charles Johnson, this Modern Library edition showcases the tremendous range of James Weldon Johnson’s writings and their considerable influence on American civic and cultural life.
“This collection of poetry, fiction, criticism, autobiography, political writing and two unpublished plays by James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) spans 60 years of pure triumph over adversity. [….Johnson’s] nobility, his inspiration shine forth from these pages, setting moral and artistic standards.” —Los Angeles Times
James Weldon Johnson
James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) was an African American writer and civil rights activist. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, he obtained an education from a young age, first by his mother, a musician and teacher, and then at the Edwin M. Stanton School. In 1894, he graduated from Atlanta University, a historically Black college known for its rigorous classical curriculum. With his brother Rosamond, he moved to New York City, where they excelled as songwriters for Broadway. His poem “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” (1899), set to music by Rosamond, eventually became known as the “Negro National Anthem.” Over the next several decades, he dedicated himself to education, activism, and diplomacy. From 1906 to 1913, he worked as a United States Consul, first in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, and then in Nicaragua. He married Grace Nail, an activist and artist, in 1910, and would return to New York with her following the end of his diplomatic career. While in Nicaragua, he wrote and anonymously published The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (1912), a novel exploring the phenomenon of racial passing. In 1917, Johnson began his work with the NAACP, eventually rising to the role of executive secretary. He became known as a towering figure of the Harlem Renaissance, writing poems and novels as well as compiling such anthologies as The Book of American Negro Poetry (1922). For his contributions to African American culture as an artist and patron, his activism against lynching, and his pioneering work as the first African American professor at New York University, Johnson is considered one of twentieth century America’s leading cultural figures.
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The Poetry Of James Weldon Johnson: "Young man, young man, your arm's too short to box with God." Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5God's Trombones Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (Warbler Classics) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLiving to Tell the Horrid Tales: True Life Stories of Fomer Slaves, Historical Documents & Novels Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Book of American Negro Poetry Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5James Weldon Johnson: The Best Works Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSelf-Determining Haiti Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJames Weldon Johnson – The Major Collection Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man and Other Writings (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFifty Years and Other Poems Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAfrican American Heritage Super Pack #1: Courage and Perseverance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bitterroot Trail Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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