From Florence, South

Carolina

William Johnson was born in 1901 in Florence, South Carolina. He grew

up in poverty and had little education. The

oldest child, William, did fieldwork during the season, helped out at

home, and looked after his younger brothers and

sisters.

William began copying comic strips at an early age. A teacher who saw

him drawing pictures in the dirt gave him some art supplies--pencils and paper. By the time he reached

his teens, William had left school to help support his family, but had

decided to become an artist and go to New York to study.

Johnson moved to New York at age seventeen. Working a variety of jobs, he saved enough money to pay for an art education at the

prestigious National Academy of Design. His mastery of the

academy's rigorous standards gained him both numerous awards and the respect of his teachers and

fellow students.

William H. Johnson creates the feeling of movement by

using some of the same kinds of things found in jazz, such as repetition, boldness, and rhythm.

Johnson painted smiling couples dancing the

jitterbug in scenes of New York City night life at a time when the African-

American community was experiencing an exciting

explosion of artistic expression-- the Harlem

Renaissance.

The Harlem Renaissance

Harlem Renaissance is the name given to the period from the end of World War I and through the middle of the 1930s Depression, during

which a group of talented African-American writers, thinkers and artists produced a sizable contribution to American culture.

The Jitterbug is a swing dance that is one of the most fun sing dances to do!

The jitterbug is a dance that was popular during the 1930s

by jazz musician Cab Calloway. Calloway thought

dancers looked similar to hyperactive bugs on the dance

floor as they adjusted to the flow of music.

The Jitterbug!

Let’s Dance!

Students in Third Grade are painting pictures inspired by William Johnson's "Jitterbugs" series.

Lets take pictures of ourselves dancing in motion!

Texture and background added

definition the paintings.