- unitid
-
{"value"=>"Sc MG 503", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"21056", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"b20864616", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1920s-1980s", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1920/1989"}
{"value"=>"1950s-1970s", "type"=>"bulk", "normal"=>"1950/1979"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1920
- date_inclusive_end
-
1989
- keydate
-
1920
- date_start
-
1920
- date_end
-
1989
- date_bulk_start
-
1950
- date_bulk_end
-
1979
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"A. Newell Johnson papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"33.27 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"78 boxes, 1 volume", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"id"=>"SCM", "value"=>"Schomburg Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Alfred Newell Johnson (1915-1989) was an entrepreneur whose work varied from electrical engineering, journalism, photography, public relations and publicity, to political campaign management. The A. Newell Johnson papers date from the 1920s to the 1980s (bulk dates 1950s-1970s) and contain correspondence, notes, articles, reports, clippings, photographs, audiovisual materials, and ephemera that document his many endeavors and engagements."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"[Item], A. Newell Johnson papers, Sc MG 503, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Johnson, Alfred Newell, 1915-1989", "type"=>"persname", "role"=>"creator"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Alfred Newell Johnson (1915-1989) was an entrepreneur who pursued many endeavors from electrical engineering, journalism, photography, public relations and publicity, to political campaign management. Johnson, who went by his middle name, grew up in Oakland, California. He served in the United States Navy, and attended the U.S. Navy Radio Material School. He studied electrical engineering at the University of California at Berkeley (1946-1949); and also received training in stenography, radio operation, and x-ray technology. Johnson and his wife had four children, before divorcing in 1950.</p> <p>In the 1930s, Johnson was an operator for amateur radio, and ran Johnson Electronic Engineering Laboratories. From 1954 to 1959, Johnson edited the weekly entertainment page for the <span class=\"title\">Sun Reporter</span>, based in San Francisco, California. He was also a staff engineer at KQED-TV, an educational television station in San Francisco (1957-1959). In 1954, he founded Newell Johnson & Associates, a public relations and publicity firm that handled events for the National Baptist Convention and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority; public relations for blues singer B.B. King; and a west coast tour featuring singer and actor Paul Robeson. He served as a representative for gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, arranging her concert appearances on the west coast; and also took care of personal affairs for artists such as Josephine Baker when they appeared in the Bay Area.</p> <p>In 1959, Johnson moved to the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. While in New York, he worked as an event photographer; x-ray technician; assistant director of public information at HARYOU-ACT (Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited merged with Associated Community Teams); training coordinator, instructor, and director of photography at Morningside Parents Association; and councilman aide to Fred Samuel. In the 1980s, he was a campaign manager for the Mississippi politician Addie Green; field supervisor for the Harlem Fire Safety Program; and a secretary for the Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church.</p> <p>Additionally, Johnson was active in the Harlem community through the Abyssinian Baptist Church (Member of the Progressive Men's Usher Board); the New York branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP, member and chairperson of the community coordination committee); and the Negro American Labor Union.</p> <p>Johnson died of cancer in 1989.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The A. Newell Johnson papers date from the 1920s to the 1980s (bulk dates 1950s-1970s) and consist of correspondence, notes, articles, reports, clippings, photographs, audiovisual materials, and ephemera.</p> <p>The collection is made up of various subjects that collectively document Johnson's professional endeavors, personal relationships, and interest in the advancement of black people. The more prominent files relate to the Abyssinian Baptist and Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Churches; electrical and radio engineering; news writing; politics; and public relations and publicity.</p> <p>Church materials contain Johnson's audio recordings of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.'s sermons at the Abyssinian Baptist Church; and programs from their Sunday worship services, special church events, and Powell's funeral (1972). There are copies of <span class=\"title\">The Abyssinian</span> publication, including the 1964 September edition that featured the \"Inspiration in Mississippi\" article written by Johnson (box 7, folder 10). Johnson's work as secretary of the Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church is documented through meeting minutes, the <span class=\"title\">Concerns of the Church</span> newsletters, and information on the 1980s church merger.</p> <p>Electrical and Radio Engineering files hold Johnson's course work, including the \"Mobile Two-Way Radio\" report (box 31, folder 10), and the rhombic antenna design notes (box 31, folder 11). Further studies are accounted for through manuals, diagrams, and notes on topics such as communication receivers, power supplies, transmission, and soldering. There are also Johnson Electronics Engineering Laboratories business correspondence, bill statements, and lab building plans.</p> <p>News Writing primarily recounts Johnson's editorial work at the <span class=\"title\">Sun Reporter</span> through a few letters from other editors; publicity stills from various entertainers; handwritten drafts and typewritten versions of his Mambo Roundups on weekly entertainment happenings; preparatory notes for an interview with Lena Horne in 1955 (box 52, folder 6); and some clippings of his printed articles.</p> <p>Politics reflect Johnson's support of certain candidates, and his work on a few political campaigns. Featured are ephemera from Powell's campaigns; and correspondence, flyers, photos, and notes from Addie Green's campaign. Within the collection, some of the political materials overlap with civil rights activism items, demonstrated through the photographs of a Harlem march for Selma, Alabama; and Martin Luther King, Jr. with Powell at Abyssinian. Johnson's NAACP membership is reflected through newsletters, memos, meeting agendas, and his conference reports.</p> <p>Public Relations and Publicity files detail Johnson's attempts to secure and maintain clients. There are drafts of the article \"We Found Gold on that Gold Coast\" by musician Louis Armstrong and his wife (as told to Johnson); and the subsequent correspondence from Armstrong's press agent and personal manager negating an informal publicity arrangement Johnson supposedly made with Armstrong. The public relations work done for musician B.B. King is noted through information sheets, letters King sent introducing Johnson, press releases, expense statements, and correspondence regarding King's request to be released from their agreement. Johnson's publicity work for Mahalia Jackson is documented through a draft of a six-month campaign, and a photo of the two together. Also included are Zeta Phi Beta Sorority convention materials, and photocopies of a couple of letters written to Johnson from entertainer Josephine Baker.</p> <p>The Harlem Fire Safety Program and the Morningside Parents Association files represent Johnson's work with various community organizations. There are information sheets, workshop manuals, and financial records from the Harlem Fire Safety Program; and syllabi, session outlines, lesson plans, and memos from Johnson's Morningside Parents Association courses. Present are also correspondence, articles, and notes related to the HARYOU-ACT organization.</p> <p>Additionally, the personal papers contain notes about Johnson's life, family photographs and films, and correspondence. There are outgoing romantic letters; letters from his brother Eldridge Johnson; letters from his sister Cleodel Russell; letters from his wife Eleanor Johnson; and an ongoing exchange with his daughters once they were adults.</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject.</p>"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Leah Wise, 2014.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"type"=>"processing", "value"=>"<p>Compiled by <span class=\"name\">Joyce Joseph</span>, <span class=\"date\">2015</span></p>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>All reproduction requests subject to limitations noted in divisional policies on reproduction.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Information on copyright available from repository.</p>"}
- dsc_type
-
combined
- extent_statement
-
33.27 linear feet (78 boxes, 1 volume)