Edward Austin Johnson: Educator, Lawyer, and Pioneer for Racial Equality
Edward Austin Johnson (1860-1944) was an extraordinary figure who overcame the shackles of slavery to become a distinguished educator, lawyer, author, and politician. His life was a testament to the power of education and perseverance in the face of adversity. Johnson's contributions spanned multiple fields, leaving an enduring legacy in education, law, and the fight for racial equality.
Early Life and Education
Edward Austin Johnson was born into slavery on November 23, 1860, in Wake County, North Carolina. His parents were Eliza Adelaide Smith and Columbus Johnson/Hines, and he was one of eleven children owned by Sylvester Smith, a wealthy slaveholder. Despite the immense challenges of his early life, Johnson's thirst for knowledge was evident from a young age.
His earliest education came from Nancy Walton, a free African American woman who also taught white children from wealthy families. Walton's instruction provided Johnson with a foundation that would prove crucial for his future endeavors. He furthered his education at a school in Raleigh operated by two white New Englanders and later attended Washington High School.
In 1873, Johnson graduated from Atlanta University. While attending Atlanta University, Johnson simultaneously taught in rural Houston County, Georgia, and ran a barbershop. After graduating in 1883, Johnson began teaching in the Atlanta School District, marking the beginning of his career in education.
Educator and Author
Johnson's commitment to education led him to become the principal of the Mitchell Street School in Atlanta shortly after graduating from Atlanta University. He returned to Raleigh in 1885 to serve as the principal of Washington School, where he remained until 1891. He was elected principal of the Washington School in which he received his early training, with nine teachers and some six hundred pupils. After six years of highly efficient work here, he was called to a position as co-instructor in the Law Department of Shaw University.
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During his time in Raleigh, Johnson recognized the need for educational materials that accurately reflected the history and achievements of African Americans. In response, he wrote "A School History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1890" (1891), designed to fill the void of educational materials prepared especially for the black schools. At the time he graduated in 1883, Johnson was already teaching in the Atlanta School District. He had no suitable textbook to guide the students, and he wrote one himself entitled The History of the Negro Race from 1619 to 1880. The book hit the right chord with helping students gain an appreciation of Black people; their history and their contributions. This groundbreaking textbook was adopted by black schools in Virginia and North Carolina and was published in four editions until 1911.
Johnson's dedication to documenting African American history extended beyond his first textbook. In 1899, he wrote "History of the Negro Soldiers in the Spanish American War and Other Items of Interest," further highlighting the contributions of black soldiers. In 1904, Johnson wrote a utopian novel entitled "Light Ahead for the Negro," which describes a 2006 future in which there is no anti-black discrimination.
Legal Career and Political Engagement
While working in Raleigh, Johnson enrolled in Shaw University’s law school. In 1890 he became the first Shaw law school graduate and joined the faculty two years later. In 1891, Johnson graduated from Shaw University School of Law in Raleigh; he was the school’s first graduate. In 1893 he was appointed an instructor at Shaw as a result of his excellent academic career at the school. By 1907, he was Dean of the law school. After four years in this place he was given entire charge of the department and elected Dean, and for the last ten years has been turning out some of the best products of young lawyers that the race can boast of. Notable among these is Mr. A.W. Scott, a practitioner in this city, and Mr. J.C.
Johnson served as dean, following John S. Leary in that capacity. Johnson also established himself as a skilled litigator and real estate magnate. He is a lawyer of keen and accurate judgement and seldom loses a case, having won every case he has had before the Supreme Court of his State, and in one instance a former member of the court was on the opposite side. He was the first graduate of the law school at Shaw and served as dean. He won every case that he argued before the North Carolina Supreme Court. From 1899 to 1906, he also served as assistant to the United States’ District Attorney for eastern North Carolina. Attorney for eastern North Carolina.
As a pillar in the community, Johnson was looked to as a potential political asset on behalf of Black people. He was elected as an alderman in Raleigh, then served as Assistant United States District Attorney in the Eastern District of North Carolina for seven years. Always active in the Republican Party, Johnson was selected as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1892 and 1896. He served on various committees of the Republican Party to which he belonged, and as a delegate, he attended their important local and national conventions.
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In 1907, Johnson left North Carolina for New York City. He became active in Harlem and in the Republican Party there. He continued shaking tables there, becoming Committeeman for the Republican Party in the 19th Assembly District which elected him to the New York State Legislature in 1917. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (New York Co., 19th D.) in 1918. Johnson was the first black man elected to New York’s legislature. He was elected to the assembly in 1917. He served in the New York State Assembly (New York Co., 19th D.) from January 1, 1918 - December 31, 1918, succeeding Perry M. Armstrong and followed by Martin J. Johnson. In 1928, he ran for Congress in the 21st District but lost to Royal H. Weller.
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