James Weldon Johnson (June 17, 1871 – June 26, 1938) was an American author, politician, ‎diplomat, critic, journalist, poet, anthologist, educator, lawyer, songwriter, and early civil rights ‎activist. Johnson is remembered best for his leadership within the NAACP, as well as for his ‎writing, which includes novels, poems, and collections of folklore. He was also one of the first ‎African-American professors at New York University. Later in life he was a professor of creative ‎literature and writing at Fisk University.‎

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