J. Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954) was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He studied at the New England Conservatory and became a public school teacher in his hometown. Moving to NY, he began writing for the musical theater with his brother, James Weldon Johnson and Bob Cole. They wrote The Evolution of Ragtime (1903) and Broadway operettas with casts of black actors, such as Shoo-Fly Regiment (1906) and The Red Moon (1908). He is best known as writing the music for his brother’s poem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” which was premiered by 500 schoolchildren on Lincoln’s birthday in 1900 and has become known as the black national anthem.