Biography of Civil Rights Activist James Weldon Johnson

James Weldon Johnson, an esteemed member of the Harlem Renaissance, was determined to help change lives for African-Americans through his work as a civil rights activist, writer and educator. In the preface of Johnson’s autobiography, Along This Way, literary critic Carl Van Doren describes Johnson as â€Å"†¦an alchemist—he transformed baser metals into gold†(X). Throughout his career as a writer and an activist, Johnson consistently proved his ability to uplift and support African-Americans in their quest for equality. Family at a Glance Father: James Johnson Sr., - HeadwaiterMother: Helen Louise Dillet - First female African-American teacher in FloridaSiblings: One sister and a brother, John Rosamond Johnson – Musician and songwriterWife: Grace Nail – New Yorker and daughter of wealthy African-American real estate developer Early Life and Education Johnson was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on June 17, 1871. At an early age, Johnson showed great interest in reading and music. He graduated from the Stanton School at the age of 16. While attending Atlanta University, Johnson honed his skills as a public speaker, writer and educator. Johnson taught for two summers in a rural area of Georgia while attending college. These summer experiences helped Johnson realize how poverty and racism affected many African-Americans. Graduating in 1894 at the age of 23, Johnson returned to Jacksonville to become principal of the Stanton School. Early Career: Educator, Publisher, and Lawyer While working as a principal, Johnson established the Daily American, a newspaper dedicated to informing African-Americans in Jacksonville of various social and political issues of concern. However, the lack of editorial staff, as well as financial troubles, forced Johnson to stop publishing the newspaper. Johnson continued in his role as principal of the Stanton School and expanded the institution’s academic program to  ninth and tenth grades. At the same time, Johnson began studying law. He passed the bar exam in 1897 and became the first African-American to be admitted to the Florida Bar since the Reconstruction. Songwriter While spending the summer of 1899 in New York City, Johnson began collaborating with his brother, Rosamond, to write music. The brothers sold their first song, â€Å"Louisiana Lize.† The brothers returned to Jacksonville and wrote their most famous song, â€Å"Lift Every Voice and Sing,† in 1900. Originally written in celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, various African-American groups throughout the country found inspiration in the song’s words and used it for special events. By 1915, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) proclaimed that â€Å"Lift Every Voice and Sing† was the Negro National Anthem. The brothers followed their early songwriting successes with â€Å"Nobody’s Lookin’ but de Owl and de Moon† in 1901. By 1902, the brothers officially relocated to New York City and worked with fellow musician and songwriter, Bob Cole. The trio wrote songs such as â€Å"Under the Bamboo Tree† in 1902 and 1903’s â€Å"Congo Love Song.† Diplomat, Writer and Activist Johnson served as United States counsel to Venezuela from 1906 to 1912. During this time Johnson published his first novel, The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man. Johnson published the novel anonymously, but rereleased the novel in 1927 using his name. Returning to the United States, Johnson became an editorial writer for the African-American newspaper, New York Age. Through his current affairs column, Johnson developed arguments for an end to racism and inequality. In 1916, Johnson became field secretary for the NAACP, organizing mass demonstrations against Jim Crow Era laws,  racism and violence. He also increased the NAACP’s membership rolls in southern states, an action that would set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement decades later. Johnson retired from his daily duties with the NAACP in 1930 but remained an active member of the organization. Throughout his career as a diplomat, journalist and civil rights activist, Johnson continued to use his creativity to explore various themes in African-American culture. In 1917, for instance, he published his first collection of poetry, Fifty Years and Other Poems. In 1927, he published God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse. Next, Johnson turned to nonfiction in 1930 with the publication of Black Manhattan, a history of African-American life in New York. Finally, he published his autobiography, Along This Way, in 1933. The autobiography was the first personal narrative written by an African-American to be reviewed in The New York Times. Harlem Renaissance Supporter and Anthologist While working for the NAACP, Johnson realized that an artistic movement was blossoming in Harlem. Johnson published the anthology, The Book of American Negro Poetry, with an Essay on the Negro’s Creative Genius in 1922, featuring work by writers such as Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes and Claude McKay. To document the importance of African-American music, Johnson worked with his brother to edit anthologies such as The Book of American Negro Spirituals in 1925 and The Second Book of Negro Spirituals in 1926. Death Johnson died on June 26, 1938, in Maine, when a train struck his car.

It’s Time to Limit Restrict Hate Speech Essay - 901 Words

It’s Time to Limit Restrict Hate Speech Free speech is the backbone that holds democracy together. Without a free speech, ideas would not be challenged, governments would not be kept in check, and citizens would not be free. John Stuart Mill said once that, â€Å"If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person then he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.†( Roleff, 21). The right to free speech is essential to â€Å"egalitarian democracy,†(Tsesis) however, this right is not absolute and must be limited in certain situations. Hate speech is one form of expression that should be limited in some†¦show more content†¦This speech grew to action, which led Nazi leaders to implement the â€Å"Final Solution,† and the massacre of six million Jews. But what about hate crimes today in the United States, how are hate-based murders different from a murder of a random individual. The answer to that question is in the brutality of the crime. Hate crimes are, for the most part, inherently more brutal because of deeply rooted ideals between two opposing groups. This brutality has led many, including former president Bill Clinton to call for legislation against hate crimes (Hellwege). Yet another important question to ask is, what exactly defines a hate crime? Is what Dr. Laura Schlessinger guilty of a hate crime when she says that individuals are â€Å"entitled to respect and kindness as fellow human beings,† when she publicly denounces homosexuality? (Leo). A logical person wouldn’t think so. However, Dr. Schlessinger is coming under heavy scrutiny form gay rights groups protesting the good Doctors radio show and calling for her silence, or, at a minimum, an apology on the subject. Denouncing homosexuality pacifically should in no way be compared to the hostile descent of neo-nazi hate groups. So should both hostile and pacifist discent be limited on the same scale? Pacifist descent should not be limited at all in any case, to do so would be a total suppression of free speech and hostile dissent should only be limited in certain extreme cases. This must be doneShow MoreRelatedAre We Really Free to Speak and Express Ourselves1588 Words   |à ‚  7 Pagesagainst an amendment that was set forth to protect the people and limit government control in the first place. â€Å"Freedom of speech in the United States is protected by the First amendment to the United States Constitution and by many state constitutions and state and federal laws. Criticism of the government and advocacy of unpopular ideas that people may find distasteful or against public policy, such as racism, sexism, and other hate speech are almost always permitted. 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Bad Habit Throw It Away .. free essay sample

We all know, in each and everyone of us, we have a certain bad habit that is particularly damaging to others (or maybe to others). We also know that were capable of stopping them, but often we create reasons that hinders us from ridding ourselves from the bad habits. Why should you do It In the first place? Well, If you ever want to make a difference, ridding bad habits is a good start, simply what you do, affects everything youve done. Ill give you a simple example If youre always excuses to run away from responsibilities (no time for this, no money, no energy, no transport, etc. And then, you happened to do something really great and impressive, you wont be getting the best applause youd hope to get. The reason is because people had labeled you as an escape artiste, thus whatever you do thereafter would not reward as much as youd expected, rather It creates a sense of doubt and suspicion to your efforts Did he really do it? , Im sure it was a fluke, or even SO? Ive seen others better than him/her, and yet they hadnt gotten the recognition. We will write a custom essay sample on Bad Habit ? Throw It Away .. or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page What can you do? Where should you start? How can you throw away those bad habits of yours?Written by Marc, there are 30 Things To Stop Doing To Yourself ! I wont list out everything, but Ill pick out some of the things of you which believe its the easiest to start off with, and you can do it immediately after youve read this The path for your transformation! Stop being afraid to make a mistake And start cultivate the habit of taking risk! Im not asking you to buy shares without evaluating the market. But you can be initiative and take the first step into doing something you believe its worth it. If you like drawing, then doodle or sketch; If you like speaking, then start talking. Stop being idle And start acting!Thinking too much about how things will be or not, will not get you anywhere else than where ever youre standing/sitting/lying right now. Once youve done your evaluation, its time to do the work/action. There are things which you absolutely cannot change or avoid, but you can definitely be prepared for It. Youll never know what results youll get, unless you do it; If you dont do It, well Its obvious enough to see there wont be any results at all. Stop thinking youre not ready And start embracing the moment when It comes! You think every couple was ready to be parents at any given moment? And that Heroes were prepared in advance?You just have to take chances, and do your best when the anyones life is when you least expect them. Stop being Jealous of others And start appreciating what you have! Everyones always thinking about what others have, but little do they know that they too have something that others desire. Study yourself to know what you have that others want but dont have. New is a waste of time, Jealousy is a mental cancer. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself And start understanding and seeing your strengths! I believe that we were all given birth to for reason, for a certain purpose to fulfill in life.God made us all equal, and balanced mix of talents, appearances, wisdom and personality. Just because you saw the few flaws in yourself, that doesnt mean your a failure. Youre in control of your life, and unless you want to remain the same, you got to shift your thoughts away from the negativity, into a direction that is suited for you. Everything happens for a reason; think of it as a challenge, when overcome, will lead you to be the better, stronger and wiser you. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break And tart taking a breather every now and then!Being responsible for your actions is a trait that very well determines the possibilities of realizing your dreams. Taking ownership truly gives you the power over that part of your life. Ive never heard of someone gaining success through blaming others for what had happened previously, have you? What happens or happened does not matter much, what matters most is your reaction and decisive actions you take when it happens. Stop running away from your problems And give it a punch in the face like a man (figuratively speaking)! No, it wont be easy, but its certainly not going to solve anything if you keep running and voiding it.No one can possibly solve anything instantly without a little hiccup here and there, not even geniuses. Were all humans, sit happens! Therell many times we get hurt, upset, disappointed, betrayed, kicked around or even abandoned, but thats life; Weve Just goat get back up, look back in its eye, learn and adapt to its trickeries, resolve the issues and better still, be grateful that it happened. These are the things that makes a person a Hero. Its about the number of times we fall, its all about the countless times we stood right back up after t he fall.

The Effects of Pollution in Prenatal Intelligience free essay sample

Ryan Cross PSYC 101-02C Paper # 1 June 23rd, 2010 Which research method was apparently used in the original study: case study, observational study, survey, correlation, or experiment? I believe that this study is making a correlation to prenatal pollution and the IQ of its participants so therefore it is using the correlation research method. Explain your answer to the first question with at least three reasons. Correlation Research is defined as a scientific study in which the researcher observes or measures (without directly manipulating) two or more variables to find relationships between them. The first reason this study uses the correlation method of research is that it coincides almost directly with the textbook definition of correlation research. The researchers were studying the effect that pollution during the pregnancy months had on IQ scores of the children being observed. The researchers measured this by using backpack air monitors on 249 expecting mothers for 48 hours during the last few month of pregnancy. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Pollution in Prenatal Intelligience or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This helped to determine the actual level of pollutants that the women were being exposed to. They then gave the children of these mothers and IQ test at age 5 before they entered school. The study showed that children with higher exposure to prenatal pollutants scored 4 to 5 points lower than children with lower levels of exposure to prenatal pollutants. This makes a negative correlation between the amount of prenatal pollution and IQ scores of expecting mothers’ children. Another reason it is not the experimental research method is the experimental research method uses a more direct approach. It would have been conducted in a way that controlled the variables more closely. Case studies are done on a much narrower span of people mainly on one person. Surveys involve just asking questions and comparing the answers rather than using such things as the back pack air monitors and IQ tests. Describe how well the author of this news story in writing the news story took into consideration the purpose, advantages, and disadvantages (limitations) of the research method used in the original study? I believe the author did a good job of explaining the purpose, advantages, and disadvantages of this research method. He didn’t actually discuss much about the research method itself while he was writing this article, rather he just explained the methods that were used to gather the information used in this study. The whole article, for the most part, embraces the research that was done as well thought out and fairly precise. It speaks of other factors that could have affected the study such as secondhand smoke, the home learning environment, and exposure to pollution after birth as being able to alter the results of the study, but still insists that a strong correlation is there between prenatal pollution and IQ scores. This is one of the limitations of the study. Another limitation that the writer mentions is the fact that many of the mothers in the study have never received a high school diploma. That could have a strong influence on children’s IQ’s but the story says there is still a lot of compelling evidence that prenatal pollution affects the unborn. Describe two ways the general public is likely to misinterpret this news story? The general public has a tendency to read the headline or skim through article rather quickly without really reading into it. The article says how prenatal pollution is the major factor that is causing these lower IQ scores. The public could misinterpret that as being the main reason even though there could be many other factors that contribute to this. Even some of these reasons are mentioned in the article. Another misinterpretation the general public could possibly make is that prenatal pollution is a very dangerous thing that is very detrimental to the unborn. Although this study does show a link between lower IQ scores and prenatal pollution, it does not show a direct link to other health issues. Using the information in chapters 1-7 in your textbook, explain how at least five factors not listed in the news story could better account for the lower IQ scores than air pollution could. In other words, what five factors may be associated with living in high pollution areas that better explain lower IQ scores than the pollution itself? The intelligence of a group of 5 yr olds measured in an IQ test is a difficult way to determine if the factors that are being studies are truly the actual cause. One factor to consider is the fact that the mothers only wore the backpack monitors for 48 hours during the last few months of pregnancy. My experience has shown that most mothers during the last few months of pregnancy are very uncomfortable moving around the house, let alone going out. If certain mothers were able to stay in their apartments for the two days they were wearing the backpack they would have considerably lower amounts of pollutants that would register to the backpacks than mothers who were forced to go out to get things such as groceries or whatever errands they may have had to run. Having only monitored the mother’s level of pollutants for these two days could mean that they could have false information on the level of pollutants the mother was actually exposed to during the full term of her pregnancy, thus altering the outcome of the study. Another factor not listed in the article is the biological factor. Highly polluted areas usually are much less expensive to live in. The mothers most likely do not have the intelligence that it would take to better their living situation and would in turn pass these genes on their children. This could be a cause for the lower test scores. Another factor that goes along with that is the fact that the mother’s intelligence was never recorded at all. Heredity is such a key part of intelligence that it is difficult to believe that this wasn’t noted, especially when there are only averaging 4 to 5 points difference between the group with high pollution and the group with low pollution. Testing the mothers IQ’s would have been a way to eliminate this variance or at least have a better understanding of it. Another factor not mentioned in the study is that the atmosphere of the home is not truly analyzed. If mothers are not able to teach their children as many things because of other commitments, such as a job, then their child could have lower scores do to fact that their mother simply does not have the time to put in to sitting with their child, talking to their child, reading to their child, or any other number of things that could enhance the child’s ability to learn. I believe things like this to have a much more profound effect on learning. Another factor that is not discussed in the article is whether the children have any other siblings in the home. An older sibling would greatly increase the chances of observational learning that the child would be exposed to, as this is a key part of learning in children.