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The Essential Writings of James Weldon Johnson
  • Published: 21 October 2008
  • ISBN: 9780812975321
  • Imprint: Random House US Group
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 352
  • RRP: $45.00
Categories:

The Essential Writings of James Weldon Johnson

Formats & editions
EBook
22 June 2011
Paperback
21 Oct 2008
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For readers of African-American literary, cultural and political history, an essential anthology publishing to coincide with the exciting launch of the prestigious James Weldon Johnston Institute at Emory University.

“A canonical collection, splendidly and sensitively edited by Rudolph Byrd.”
–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essays on cultural and political topics, selections from Johnson’s autobiography, Along This Way, and two previously unpublished short plays: Do You Believe in Ghosts?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“This collection of poetry, fiction, criticism, autobiography, political writing and two unpublished plays by James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) spans 60 years of pure triumph over adversity.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
  • Published: 21 October 2008
  • ISBN: 9780812975321
  • Imprint: Random House US Group
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 352
  • RRP: $45.00
Categories:

About the author

James Weldon Johnson

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON (1871–1938) was a novelist, poet, lawyer, editor,  ethnomusicologist, and coauthor of the hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is informally known as the Black national anthem. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, he was educated at Atlanta University and at Columbia University and was the first Black lawyer admitted to the Florida bar. He was also, for a time, a songwriter in New York, American consul in Venezuela and Nicaragua, executive secretary of the NAACP, and professor of creative literature at Fisk University. His other books include an autobiography, Along This Way and God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse.
JWJ

Also by James Weldon Johnson

God's Trombones
Along This Way
Complete Poems
Lift Every Voice and Sing
The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man
See all

Praise for The Essential Writings of James Weldon Johnson

Pursuing quotes from Maya Angelou, Julian Bond, Alice Walker, Edward Jones, and Rita Dove.