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Grace Nail Johnson
Grace Nail Johnson (February 27, 1885 – November 1, 1976) was an African-American civil rights activist and patron of the arts associated with the Harlem Renaissance, and wife of the writer and politician James Weldon Johnson. Johnson was the daughter of John Bennett Nail, a wealthy businessman and civil rights activist. She is known for her involvement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Heterodoxy Club, and many other African-American and feminist organizations. Johnson also supported and promoted African-American children's literature.
Grace Elizabeth Nail was born on February 27, 1885, in New London, Connecticut. She was the second child of real estate developer John Bennett Nail (1853–1942) and Mary Frances Robinson (1858–1923). By the time Grace was born, the Nails had already become prominent members of the African-American elite of New York City. While the family was very involved with the Harlem community, their residence was in Brooklyn, where Grace would live for all her early life.
The Nail family business began with a restaurant and hotel in New York City on Sixth Avenue which they called "Nail Brothers". They later opened another similar business in Washington D.C. which was known as "The Shakespeare House." Eventually, the Nails' business ventures expanded into real estate. Their real estate investments did well in the early twentieth century and by the time John Bennett Nail died, they owned five apartment complexes in Harlem. With their influence, the Nails opened Harlem real estate to many of the African-Americans who would drive the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s.
The Nails used their wealth to encourage and patronized various artists and civil rights activists. John Bennett Nail was an early member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was named the organization's first "Life Member." The Nails also participated in many artistic and intellectual circles in and out of Harlem. Some of those circles included other prominent figures such as Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington. In February 1942, John Bennett Nail died of pneumonia, leaving his real estate to Grace's older brother John Edward Nail.
Her brother John was a real-estate developer who continued the family business and eventually became the head of the NAACP's Harlem Branch. She would go on to do as her parents had done, becoming one of the Harlem Renaissance's foremost patrons and hosts.[citation needed]
Grace Nail Johnson was involved in the Harlem Renaissance as a hostess, mentor, teacher and activist in various civil rights causes. She was well known for hosting the African-American political and artistic elites of the time and organizing events centered around popular Harlem artists. Some significant organizations she worked in were the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Anti-Lynching Crusaders, the Circle for Negro Relief, the Heterodoxy Club and the American Women's Voluntary Services. She is also credited as the founder of the NAACP Junior's League, which was organized in 1929.
Johnson's political activism was not limited to organizations based in Harlem as at one point, she was the only black member of a feminist group based in Greenwich Village known as the Heterodoxy Club. The club was founded as a women's liberal discussion group but quickly adopted a feminist angle. When the club composed an album of its members in 1920, she wore a white shirt and tie with her fellow members in the group photo. Notably, she is one of the only prominent Harlem figures who was an active participant in that type of village political circle before WWI. This placed her in middle of the early stages of the Harlem Renaissance as a member of a category of activists that would later be called the "lyrical left". Even though Grace was the only African-American member of the Heterodoxy Club, the feminist ideology of the group has been cited as an influence of several leaders of the Harlem Renaissance, such as W.E.B. Du Bois.
Johnson and her husband were also especially active in promoting anti-lynching legislation. On July 17, 1917, Johnson, her husband, and her brother participated in the Negro Silent Protest Parade. The parade took place on 5th Avenue, just one block from the Nail family restaurant.
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Grace Nail Johnson
Grace Nail Johnson (February 27, 1885 – November 1, 1976) was an African-American civil rights activist and patron of the arts associated with the Harlem Renaissance, and wife of the writer and politician James Weldon Johnson. Johnson was the daughter of John Bennett Nail, a wealthy businessman and civil rights activist. She is known for her involvement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Heterodoxy Club, and many other African-American and feminist organizations. Johnson also supported and promoted African-American children's literature.
Grace Elizabeth Nail was born on February 27, 1885, in New London, Connecticut. She was the second child of real estate developer John Bennett Nail (1853–1942) and Mary Frances Robinson (1858–1923). By the time Grace was born, the Nails had already become prominent members of the African-American elite of New York City. While the family was very involved with the Harlem community, their residence was in Brooklyn, where Grace would live for all her early life.
The Nail family business began with a restaurant and hotel in New York City on Sixth Avenue which they called "Nail Brothers". They later opened another similar business in Washington D.C. which was known as "The Shakespeare House." Eventually, the Nails' business ventures expanded into real estate. Their real estate investments did well in the early twentieth century and by the time John Bennett Nail died, they owned five apartment complexes in Harlem. With their influence, the Nails opened Harlem real estate to many of the African-Americans who would drive the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s.
The Nails used their wealth to encourage and patronized various artists and civil rights activists. John Bennett Nail was an early member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was named the organization's first "Life Member." The Nails also participated in many artistic and intellectual circles in and out of Harlem. Some of those circles included other prominent figures such as Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington. In February 1942, John Bennett Nail died of pneumonia, leaving his real estate to Grace's older brother John Edward Nail.
Her brother John was a real-estate developer who continued the family business and eventually became the head of the NAACP's Harlem Branch. She would go on to do as her parents had done, becoming one of the Harlem Renaissance's foremost patrons and hosts.[citation needed]
Grace Nail Johnson was involved in the Harlem Renaissance as a hostess, mentor, teacher and activist in various civil rights causes. She was well known for hosting the African-American political and artistic elites of the time and organizing events centered around popular Harlem artists. Some significant organizations she worked in were the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Anti-Lynching Crusaders, the Circle for Negro Relief, the Heterodoxy Club and the American Women's Voluntary Services. She is also credited as the founder of the NAACP Junior's League, which was organized in 1929.
Johnson's political activism was not limited to organizations based in Harlem as at one point, she was the only black member of a feminist group based in Greenwich Village known as the Heterodoxy Club. The club was founded as a women's liberal discussion group but quickly adopted a feminist angle. When the club composed an album of its members in 1920, she wore a white shirt and tie with her fellow members in the group photo. Notably, she is one of the only prominent Harlem figures who was an active participant in that type of village political circle before WWI. This placed her in middle of the early stages of the Harlem Renaissance as a member of a category of activists that would later be called the "lyrical left". Even though Grace was the only African-American member of the Heterodoxy Club, the feminist ideology of the group has been cited as an influence of several leaders of the Harlem Renaissance, such as W.E.B. Du Bois.
Johnson and her husband were also especially active in promoting anti-lynching legislation. On July 17, 1917, Johnson, her husband, and her brother participated in the Negro Silent Protest Parade. The parade took place on 5th Avenue, just one block from the Nail family restaurant.
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