James Weldon Johnson was born in Jacksonville, Florida. His parents sent him to study at Atlanta University since there were no high schools open to African Americans in Jacksonville. Johnson returned to Florida to teach. In 1901 Johnson and his brother moved to New York City to write songs for Broadway musical theater. They wrote over 200 songs, including "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which became known as the African American national anthem. Johnson served as consul to Venezuela and later Nicaragua. When Johnson returned to the United States, he joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He later became its executive secretary. In 1912 Johnson anonymously published The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man., a novel that examines race and identity. Johnson and his brother published The Book of American Negro Poetry and The Book of American Negro Spirituals as part of the Harlem Renaissance. Johnson’s book of poetry, God's Trombones, was published in 1927.
