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Quote by James Weldon Johnson

“And God stepped out on space, and He looked around and said: I'm lonely - I'll make me a world.”

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James Weldon Johnson was an American author, poet, musician, and civil rights activist. He is known for his poetry, novels, and musical compositions, and was a significant figure in the American civil rights movement. more

“My love for my children makes me glad that I am what I am, and keeps me from desiring to be otherwise; and yet, when I sometimes open a little box in which I still keep my fast yellowing manuscripts, the only tangible remnants of a vanished dream, a dead ambition, a sacrificed talent, I cannot repress the thought, that after all I have chosen the lesser part, that I have sold my birthright for a mess of pottage”

Children Littles Stills Sometimes Dream Talent Ambition Boxes Glad Chosen Mess My Children Tangible Manuscripts Birthright Remnants I Am What I Am

Book:James Weldon Johnson: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

Source: James Weldon Johnson: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

“Any musical person who has never heard a Negro congregation under the spell of religious fervor sing these old songs has missed one of the most thrilling emotions which the human heart may experience.”

Humans Heart May Persons Song Religious Emotion Heard Musical Spells Human Heart Thrilling Congregation Fervor Old Song Missed Ones

Book:The Selected Writings of James Weldon Johnson: Social, political, and literary essays

Source: The Selected Writings of James Weldon Johnson: Social, political, and literary essays

“I do not see how a people that can find in its conscience any excuse whatever for slowly burning to death a human being, or for tolerating such an act, can be entrusted with the salvation of a race.”

People Humans Human Beings Race Conscience Salvation Excuse Burning

Book:The Selected Writings of James Weldon Johnson: Social, political, and literary essays

Source: The Selected Writings of James Weldon Johnson: Social, political, and literary essays

“Americans are immensely popular in Paris; and this is not due solely to the fact that they spend lots of money there, for they spend just as much or more in London, and in the latter city they are merely tolerated because they do spend.”

Facts Cities Dues London Paris Latter Lots Of Money

Book:The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

Source: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

“Amsterdam was a great surprise to me. I had always thought of Venice as the city of canals; it had never entered my mind that I should find similar conditions in a Dutch town.”

Should Mind Cities Conditions Towns Surprise Venice Dutch Canals Amsterdam

Book:The Selected Writings of James Weldon Johnson: Social, political, and literary essays

Source: The Selected Writings of James Weldon Johnson: Social, political, and literary essays

“And so for a couple of years my life was divided between my music and my school books.”

Years Book School Couple Divided School Life

Book:The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

Source: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

“As I look back now I can see that I was a perfect little aristocrat.”

Looks Littles I Can Perfect Aristocracy

Book:The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

Source: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

“But I must own that I also felt stirred by an unselfish desire to voice all the joys and sorrows, the hopes and ambitions, of the American Negro, in classic musical form.”

Form Joy Desire Felt Voice Sorrow Ambition Musical Classic Unselfish Unselfishness Joys And Sorrows

Book:The Selected Writings of James Weldon Johnson: Social, political, and literary essays

Source: The Selected Writings of James Weldon Johnson: Social, political, and literary essays

Quote by James Weldon Johnson

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