Caption:
Johnson is seen here with his brother, Rosamond and their friend Robert Cole. They wrote music and lyrics for Broadway shows and were called "Those Ebony Offenbachs". James Weldon Johnson (June 17, 1871 - June 26, 1938) was an African-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.