The Forgotten Pioneer of Black Recording Artists
George Washington Johnson stands as a remarkable yet largely overlooked figure in the history of recorded music. Widely considered the first African-American recording artist, Johnson achieved significant commercial success in the 1890s, a feat that was groundbreaking in an era of pervasive racial oppression. Despite his accomplishments, his contributions have been overshadowed by the racial prejudices of the time and the controversial nature of his most famous recordings. Nevertheless, Johnson’s career laid the foundation for future African-American artists in the recording industry.
George Washington Johnson was born into slavery in mid-October 1846, near Wheatland in Loudoun County, Virginia. His parents, Samuel and Druanna, were teenage slaves, and there are no records of his exact birth date due to the lack of documentation for enslaved children. Johnson’s early years were shaped by the Moores, a wealthy white family who took him in as a “body servant” for their son, Sam Moore. This arrangement exposed Johnson to white society and provided him with opportunities to learn music and literacy skills that were illegal for slaves to acquire in antebellum Virginia.
The Civil War disrupted this fragile stability. Loudoun County became a battleground, and by the war’s end, its economy was in ruins. Johnson, now a freedman in his twenties, worked as a laborer and possibly a schoolteacher in Virginia before realizing that the systemic racism of the post-war South offered little future for a black man. Sometime in the 1870s, he moved to New York City to seek better opportunities.
In New York, Johnson developed his unique talents as a whistler and performer of “laughing songs,” which combined rhythmic laughter with music. His broad smile, hearty laugh, and willingness to engage in self-deprecating humor made him popular with white audiences. Living in the slums of Hell’s Kitchen, he eked out a living by busking on the streets and ferry terminals. Occasionally, he performed for upper-class whites and may have toured briefly with the Georgia Minstrels, a prominent black minstrel troupe.
Johnson’s big break came in 1890 when the phonograph industry began seeking performers to create recordings for commercial sale. The invention of Edison’s improved phonograph had opened new opportunities in the entertainment market, and entrepreneurs needed strong-voiced singers to record directly onto wax cylinders. Johnson’s powerful voice, infectious laugh, and willingness to work long hours made him an ideal candidate.
Johnson recorded his two most famous songs, “The Whistling Coon” and “The Laughing Song,” in 1890. Both were minstrel-style compositions that perpetuated racial stereotypes but resonated with white audiences of the time. These songs became instant hits and were widely distributed through phonograph parlors and public exhibitions across the United States and even overseas. At a time when phonograph cylinders could not be duplicated, Johnson tirelessly performed his songs repeatedly to meet demand. By the late 1890s, his recordings had reportedly sold over 50,000 copies—an extraordinary achievement given the nascent state of the recording industry.
Johnson’s success brought him recognition within the industry. He recorded for major companies like Edison and Columbia, as well as smaller labels, and collaborated with artists like Len Spencer on popular minstrel records. Although he did not receive royalties, he earned steady income from recording sessions and was widely regarded as one of the best-selling recording artists of the 1890s.
Despite his professional success, Johnson faced significant personal challenges. Living in Hell’s Kitchen tenements, he drew resentment from Irish-American police officers who disliked seeing a black man earning more than they did. His relationships with women, often light-skinned or white, further fueled animosity. In 1899, tragedy struck when his partner Roskin Stuart was found beaten and unconscious in their apartment after a night of drinking; she later died from her injuries.
Johnson was arrested and charged with murder. However, numerous friends from both black and white communities rallied to his defense. During the trial, witnesses portrayed Stuart as volatile and Johnson as good-natured. The prosecution’s case was weak and circumstantial, leading to Johnson’s acquittal. Emerging from the courtroom to cheers from supporters, Johnson resumed his career but faced mounting difficulties.
By the early 1900s, advancements in recording technology allowed companies to mass-produce duplicates of master recordings. This innovation rendered live performers like Johnson less essential. While he continued recording for major labels like Victor and Columbia until 1910, his income declined sharply as white artists began covering his material. Johnson eventually worked as a doorman for Len Spencer but struggled with alcoholism and financial instability.
In his later years, Johnson lived alone in a small Harlem tenement. He died on January 23, 1914, at the age of 67, largely forgotten by the public he had once entertained. He was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave in Queens alongside other destitute individuals. His death received little attention; even black newspapers regarded him as an artifact of an era many wished to move beyond.
George Washington Johnson’s life reflects both the possibilities and limitations faced by African Americans in late 19th-century America. As the first black recording artist to achieve widespread success, he broke barriers in an industry dominated by racial prejudice. Yet his fame was tied to material that reinforced harmful stereotypes, complicating his legacy.
While Johnson may not have seen himself as a trailblazer, his achievements paved the way for future African-American artists who could build on his success without compromising their dignity to the same extent. Today, efforts to document his life and career serve as a reminder of his historical significance. George Washington Johnson deserves recognition not only as a pioneer but also as an individual who navigated immense adversity with resilience and talent.