Life Achievements
He is known for having many jobs. Johnson was an American author, politician, poet, educator, lawyer, and early civil rights activist. He also played a major role in the NAACP (National Association of the Advancement of Colored People). He used his authorial gift to become secretary of the NAACP. He created "Red Summer" to win the fight with peace. With this, he inched his way up further in the NAACP. From 1914-1930, he became the first African American secretary in history. He then spent years traveling in and out of Haiti to better the economic and sicial environment. He published Self-Determining Haiti, to get this information out to the public. During the 1920s, he began to become more of an inspiration to others to refute condescending white criticism by helping black authors to get published. James Weldon Johnson died when his car got hit by a train in 1938, while on vacation. Over 2000 people attended his funeral in Harlem.
Importance to History
As editor of the editorial page of New York Age, he expressed his opinions about Booker T. Washington's riots and fight against struggle. He did this using his political gift. As much as he opposed lynchings in the South, he was against "race riots" in the North. He opposed these because they were promotes of violence, not getting them any further in the fight. Instead, he organized silent protest parades (consisting of more than 10,000 African Americans. He then created an entire organization, "Red Summer," to promote peaceful protests against racial violence.
Interesting Facts
While in the NAACP, he worked tirelessly for years to enforce the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill of 1921.
Ignatz Waghalter formed the American Negro Orchestra in honor of James Weldon Johnson. Johnson's encouragement and determination helped Ignatz escape from Nazis.
Ignatz Waghalter formed the American Negro Orchestra in honor of James Weldon Johnson. Johnson's encouragement and determination helped Ignatz escape from Nazis.