James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) 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 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (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 YorkUniversity. Later in life he was a professor of creative literature and writing at FiskUniversity.