National Historic Landmark

Johnson, James Weldon, House

New York, New York County, New York
Listed
May 10, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76001241

About this property

The James Weldon Johnson Residence is a historic apartment house located at 187 West 135th Street, Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York. It is here where James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) lived from 1925 until his death. In addition to being a composer, songwriter, and author, he was an outspoken advocate for civil rights, working in various roles at the NAACP, including as its General Secretary during his residency here. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976. The James Weldon Johnson Residence is located on the north side of West 135th Street, just east of its junction with Seventh Avenue in Manhattan's northern Harlem neighborhood. It is one of a pair of similar five-story brick buildings, which share styling and a party wall. The buildings have Romanesque styling, with that on the left exhibiting a curved corner bay. The buildings share a projecting cornice with modillion blocks, as well as gabled roof over their entrances, which stand on either side of the party wall. The facades are each three bays wide, with sash windows set in rectangular openings with limestone sills and lintels. James Weldon Johnson occupied one of the units at #187 from 1925 until his death in 1938. Born in Florida in 1871 to middle-class African-Americans, Johnson was educated at Atlanta University, and had a diverse career as an educator, composer, singer, author, and journalist. He was hired by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1916, and held positions of importance in the organization for the rest of his productive life. He was instrumental in building the organization in the segregated South, and lobbied for anti-lynching legislation. He died in a car accident in 1938. List of National Historic Landmarks in New York City National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan above 110th Street Media related to James Weldon Johnson Residence at Wikimedia Commons

Location

187 W. 135th St.
New York, New York County, New York
40.81528, -73.94299

Categories

BLACKEDUCATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTSOCIAL HISTORYPERFORMING ARTS
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

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Nearby Battles

Battle of Harlem Heights
1776Revolutionary War
0.6 mi
Fall of Fort Washington (1776)
1776Revolutionary War
2.5 mi
Fort Lee Evacuation
1776Revolutionary War
2.5 mi
Battle of Fort Washington
1776Revolutionary War
2.5 mi
Fall of Fort Washington
1776Revolutionary War
2.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Johnson, James Weldon, House listed on the National Register?

Johnson, James Weldon, House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Johnson, James Weldon, House?

Johnson, James Weldon, House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Johnson, James Weldon, House a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Johnson, James Weldon, House has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Johnson, James Weldon, House?

The period of significance for Johnson, James Weldon, House is recorded as the industrial era.

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