James Weldon Johnson
1871 – 1938

James Weldon Johnson

American writer and activist (1871–1938)

librettistnovelistsongwriterdiplomatjurist
Born
1871-06-17, Jacksonville
Died
1938-06-26
Birthplace state
Florida

Biography

James Weldon Johnson was born in Jacksonville, Florida on June 17, 1871. He worked as a librettist, novelist, songwriter, diplomat, jurist, politician, poet, lawyer, and composer. Johnson was married to Grace Nail Johnson, a civil rights activist. He died on June 26, 1938.

Occupation

James Weldon Johnson is recorded as a librettist, a novelist, a songwriter, a diplomat, a jurist, a politician, a poet, a lawyer, a writer and a composer, born in Florida (1871–1938).

Connections to Florida

James Weldon Johnson was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1871. Explore other notable figures from Florida, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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James Weldon Johnson came from Jacksonville. A full Aubrey report on Jacksonville pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about James Weldon Johnson

Who was James Weldon Johnson?
James Weldon Johnson was American writer and activist (1871–1938), born in Florida (1871 – 1938).
When and where was James Weldon Johnson born?
James Weldon Johnson was born on 1871-06-17 in Jacksonville.
When did James Weldon Johnson die?
James died on 1938-06-26.
What was James Weldon Johnson known for?
James Weldon Johnson is recorded as a librettist, a novelist, a songwriter, a diplomat, a jurist, a politician, a poet, a lawyer, a writer and a composer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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