Born into slavery but educated in Raleigh then Atlanta, Edward Johnson (1860-1944) returned to be principal at the Washington Graded and High School from 1885 to 1891. While there, he was the first Black author to publish a North Carolina textbook; he also completed a law degree at Shaw University. Dr. Johnson’s highly successful career included working as a dean at Shaw, serving twice as a Republican National Convention delegate, practicing law in Harlem and being elected as a New York state legislator.
