Bro. James Weldon Johnson

In 1935, Bro. James Weldon Johnson served as one of two Brothers from the National Headquarters of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., to coordinate the chartering of New England’s first undergraduate chapter, Beta Alpha Chapter of Boston, MA. Beta Alpha Chapter would earn the title of “Mother Chapter” as undergraduate chapters throughout the New England region would owe their chartering to Beta Alpha’s efforts to promote “Brotherhood, Scholarship and Service.”

Known for writing the lyrics of Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the “Black National Anthem,” Bro Johnson was not just an influential and notable novelist, poet, and songwriter, James Weldon Johnson was a lawyer, a United States consul in a foreign nation, Executive Secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People NAACP (NAACP), and International President of Phi Beta Sigma, Inc.

Bro. Johnson was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He attended high school and college at Atlanta University where he received his bachelor’s in In 1898, he was admitted to the Florida Bar. In 1901, Johnson decided to pursue a career in writing. Johnson and his brother, John Rosamond Johnson, left for New York City to write songs for musicals. They achieved success with the composition of around two hundred songs for Broadway.

While in New York, Johnson also became involved in politics. In 1906, the Roosevelt Administration appointed Johnson as the United States consul in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. In 1909, he served as consul in Corinto, Nicaragua until 1913. In addition to his service as consul, during this time, Johnson anonymously published his novel, The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man (1912).

 After leaving the public sector, in 1916, Johnson accepted the position of field secretary for the NAACP. Johnson worked at opening new branches and expanding membership. In 1920, the NAACP appointed him executive secretary. In this position, he was able to bring attention to racism, lynching, and segregation.

After ten years of serving as executive secretary, Johnson resigned, and accepted a creative writing teaching position at Fisk University. Johnson developed his own philosophy on lessening racism in America. While W.E.B. Du Bois advocated intellectual development and Booker T. Washington advocated industrial training to combat racism, Johnson believed that it was important for blacks to produce great literature and art. By doing so, Johnson held that blacks could demonstrate their intellectual equality and advance their placement in America.