James Weldon Johnson

James Weldon Johnson was born on June 17, 1871, in Jacksonville, Florida, to James Johnson, a headwaiter, and Helen Louise Dillet, a musician and educator originally from the Bahamas. Growing up in a home where culture, education, and community pride were central values, Johnson was greatly influenced by his mother’s talents in literature and music.

He attended the Stanton High School, Florida’s first public school for African American students, where his mother taught. Demonstrating academic promise early on, Johnson later pursued higher education at Atlanta University, graduating in 1894 with a keen interest in both social justice and the arts.

Upon completing his studies, Johnson returned to Jacksonville to teach at his alma mater, the Stanton School. At just 23 years old, he was appointed principal and quickly worked to expand the school’s curriculum, adding high school-level education for Black students during a time when such opportunities were scarce in the segregated South.

While leading Stanton, Johnson studied law and, in 1898, became the first African American admitted to the Florida Bar since the Reconstruction era. His achievements in education and law reflected his unwavering belief in the power of knowledge and opportunity as tools for progress.

Alongside his professional work, Johnson remained deeply connected to literature and music. In 1900, he wrote the poem “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” for a school celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. His brother, John Rosamond Johnson, composed the music, and together they created a stirring anthem of hope and unity for African Americans. The song would later become famously known as the Black National Anthem.

Johnson’s literary talent extended to poetry, novels, and cultural essays, capturing the experiences and struggles of African Americans in his era with eloquence and power.