Image Source: Wikipedia

J. Rosamond Johnson

John Rosamond Johnson (August 11, 1873 – November 11, 1954; usually referred to as J. Rosamond Johnson) was an American composer and singer during the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, much of his music career was in New York City. Johnson is hailed well over a century later as the music composer of the civic anthem "Lift Every Voice and Sing" first performed live by 500 Black American students from racially-segregated Jacksonville, Florida's First Baptist Academy, in the pivotal year of 1900. The song was published by Joseph W. Stern & Co., Manhattan, New York (later the Edward B. Marks Music Company).

J. Rosamond Johnson was the younger brother of poet and activist James Weldon Johnson, who wrote the lyrics for "Lift Every Voice and Sing". The two also worked together in causes related to the NAACP.

Birth and Death Data: Born Jacksonville (city in Duval County, and largest city in State of Florida, United States), Died November 11, 1954 (New York City (most populous city in the United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1901 - 1944

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, songwriter, organ, bass vocal, piano, arranger, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 119 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]585 7-in. 1/5/1901 Why don't the band play? S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]585 10-in. 5/16/1902 Why don't the band play? S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix C-]585 12-in. 5/16/1902 Why don't the band play? S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]991 7-in. 10/11/1901 In my castle on the River Nile Bert Williams Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]991 10-in. 10/11/1901 In my castle on the River Nile Bert Williams Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1099 7-in. 11/20/1901 Come out, Dinah, on the green Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1099 10-in. 11/20/1901 Come out, Dinah, on the green Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1296 7-in. 3/5/1902 Tell me, dusky maiden Arthur Collins ; Joseph Natus Male vocal duet composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1296 10-in. 3/5/1902 Tell me dusky maiden Arthur Collins ; Joseph Natus Male vocal duet composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1327 7-in. 3/14/1902 Oh! Didn't he ramble! Dan W. Quinn Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1327 10-in. 3/14/1902 Oh! Didn't he ramble! Dan W. Quinn Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1353 7-in. 4/8/1902 The maiden with the dreamy eyes Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1353 10-in. 4/8/1902 The maiden with the dreamy eyes Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1388 7-in. 5/16/1902 Nobody's looking but the owl and moon S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1388 10-in. 5/16/1902 Nobody's looking but the owl and moon S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix C-]1388 12-in. 5/16/1902 Nobody's looking but the owl and moon S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1436 10-in. 6/19/1902 Medley overture Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1633 7-in. 9/18/1902 Under the bamboo tree Arthur Collins Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1633 10-in. 9/18/1902 Under the bamboo tree Arthur Collins Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1805 7-in. 11/26/1902 Under the bamboo tree S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1805 10-in. 11/26/1902 Under the bamboo tree S. H. Dudley Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1918 7-in. 1/28/1903 Under the bamboo tree Mina Hickman Female vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1918 10-in. 1/28/1903 Under the bamboo tree Mina Hickman Female vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1949 10-in. 2/9/1903 Tell me dusky maiden S. H. Dudley ; Harry Macdonough Male vocal duet, with piano composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1993 7-in. 2/27/1903 Under the bamboo tree Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo composer  
(Results 1-25 of 119 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, J. Rosamond," accessed January 3, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105114.

Johnson, J. Rosamond. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105114.

"Johnson, J. Rosamond." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 3 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105114

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.