James Weldon Johnson's career was one of extraordinary range, spanning the worlds of diplomacy (as U.S. consul in Venezuela and Nicaragua), politics (as Secretary of the NAACP), journalism (as founder of one newspaper and longtime editor of another), musical theater (as lyricist for the Broadway songwriting team of Cole and Johnson Brothers), and literature (as novelist, poet, and anthologist). At the dawning of what would become the modern civil rights movement, he forged a record of accomplishment that defied the odds. ...
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James Weldon Johnson's career was one of extraordinary range, spanning the worlds of diplomacy (as U.S. consul in Venezuela and Nicaragua), politics (as Secretary of the NAACP), journalism (as founder of one newspaper and longtime editor of another), musical theater (as lyricist for the Broadway songwriting team of Cole and Johnson Brothers), and literature (as novelist, poet, and anthologist). At the dawning of what would become the modern civil rights movement, he forged a record of accomplishment that defied the odds. The Library of America now presents a collection of his writings that displays the many facets of a complex and impassioned writer. The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (1912), Johnson's first book, is a novel that on its original anonymous publication was taken by many for an actual memoir. A groundbreaking work of modern fiction, it powerfully describes the inner development of a gifted, socially alienated man as he tries to come to terms with the constraints of racism. Along This Way (1933) is Johnson's genial and enthralling account of his fantastically busy life, with a cast of characters including W.E.B. Du Bois, Paul Robeson, Clarence Darrow, Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Carl Van Vechten, and many others. A selection of shorter prose--editorials from The New York Age , political essays, literary prefaces, an excerpt from the historical study Black Manhattan --confirms the variety of Johnson's interests, as he comments on figures and topics including Jack Johnson, Marcus Garvey, Woodrow Wilson, lynching, anti-Japanese discrimination in California, American involvement in Haiti, changing trends in theater and poetry, and the significance of spirituals. Johnson's poetry is represented by the full text of God's Trombones (1927), his stirring homage to African-American preaching, and shorter works including "O Black and Unknown Bards," lyrics from Johnson's Broadway songwriting days, and "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the hymn often referred to as the "Negro National Anthem." LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation's literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America's best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.
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Very good in very good dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 828 p. Contains: Illustrations. Library of America, 145. Audience: General/trade.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Very good in very good dust jacket. Book in slipcase without dustjacket. Pages are clean and free of markings. Pictures upon request. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 828 p. Contains: Illustrations. Library of America, 145. Audience: General/trade.
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Fine in slipcase fine jacket. Size: 5x1x8; NOT an ex library book. Book with dark red cloth binding. Clean pages, ribbon marker. Slipcase has no splits. Brochure laid in.
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Very Good+ in Very Good+ Slipcase jacket. Size: 8x5x1; Stated 1st printing of this edition by the Library of America. Very good+ hardcover with slipcase, from a personal collection (NOT ex-library). Text clean, binding tight/sturdy/square, corners sharp. Exterior looks great. Book is pretty much near fine, slipcase very good+. Ships from Dinkytown in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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New. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 828 p. Contains: Illustrations. Library of America, 145. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
For over 25 years, the Library of America has been publishing uniform editions of America's great writers, documenting our country's achievements in literature, history, philosophy, government, and other forms of letters. It is a truly worthwhile project. The series covers the United States in all its diversity, and many of the finest volumes in the series deal with the African-American experience and with the Civil Rights movement in all their facets and complexities. The LOA's single-volume edition, published in 2004, of the works of James Weldon Johnson (1871 -- 1938) is an outstanding addition to the series and an essential work for understanding the rise of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. More broadly, Johnson's writings are universal and will be of value for any reader interested in American literature.
Johnson had a varied career as a poet, novelist, essayist, editorial writer, diplomat, lawyer, educator, civil rights activist, and songwriter. His achievements in these fields are well-documented in this book. The LOA's anthology includes Johnson's famous novel of "passing", "The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man" (1912); Johnson's own autobiography, "Along this Way" (1933), a generous selection of poetry, including "God's Trombones" (1928), together with selections from Johnson's history of African-Americans in New York City, "Black Manhattan" and selections from Johnson's essays and editorials.
The reader coming to Johnson for the first time might well begin with the poetry. Poetry and music seem to me Johnson's greatest loves and the source of his best accomplishments. Johnson's "Lift Every Voice and Sing" written in 1900 is probably his best-known individual work and is commonly referred to as the "Negro National Anthem". Johnson's poem "Fifty Years: 1863 -1913" commemorates President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and is a moving commentary on the work that remains to be done to implement the vision of that document. "God's Trombones" is Johnson's tribute to the African-American preacher with seven sermons in verse. There are many other poems in this volume for the reader to explore, many with African -American themes and many without them.
After reading the poetry, I suggest proceeding to Johnson's only novel, "The Autobiography of an ex-colored Man" published anonymously in 1912. This short novel offers an excellent picture of race relations as they were at the time. But the book's themes are universal in character as Johnson depicts his troubled protagonist, buffeted by chance events, and lacking the degree of self-knowledge to find himself.
Johnson's essays and newspaper editorials give an idea of the breadth of his interests. Johnson fought passionately against the practice of lynching, as documented in many places including his essay "Lynching: A National Disgrace". Johnson compiled ground-breaking anthologies of Negro Spirituals and African-American poetry, and the introductions to the anthologies are included here. Johnson's "Black Manhattan" is offered only in excerpts but the selections here show black contributions to the Broadway stage in which Johnson himself and his brother, Rosamund, played leading roles. The selection also includes an excellent portrayal of the blues singer, Clara Smith, who today has, unfortunately, faded into obscurity. ( She is not to be confused with the more famous singer, Bessie Smith).
I would turn last in this volume to Johnson's autobiography, "Along this Way." This is a detailed work in which Johnson describes for the reader his childhood, his education, and his many and varied careers and writings. It is a great autobiography in its own right, and the reader will best appreciate it with an initial familiarity with Johnson's other writings. There are unforgettable moments in the book, and scenes of Johnson's relationships with other influential African-American leaders, including DuBois, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and Booker T. Washington.
These books are full of reflections and insights on philosophical and literary subjects, together with Johnson's thoughts and efforts regarding race relations in the United States. Johnson emphasized the great achievements of African-Americans in creating the spirituals, in poetry, and in music -- particularly ragtime. He wanted African-Americans to be proud of their heritage and accomplishments, and he wanted his non-African-American readers to become aware of and to appreciate these accomplishments. Johnson was a writer of great gifts and broad themes. The Library of America has done a great service by making accessible this collection of his works.
