William Decker Johnson (editor)
William Decker Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1860 England, United Kingdom |
| Died | unknown, after 1915 |
| Education | Phonographic Institute |
| Occupations | Editor, author, newspaper founder, community leader |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Martha Jessie Prewitt (m. 1839–) |
| Relatives | Clifton Blackburn Prewitt (father in-law) |
William Decker "W. D." Johnson (1860 – unknown, after 1915) was an English-born American author, newspaper founder, editor, and community leader. Johnson was the editor of The Lexington Standard, an African American newspaper published in Lexington, Kentucky; and he authored the book, Biographical Sketches of Prominent Negro Men and Women of Kentucky (1897).
Early life and education
William Decker Johnson was born in 1860, in England.[1][2] He was of mixed Bengali and English heritage, and considered himself a "negro".[2] Johnson traveled extensively to Africa, Asia and Europe, and he spoke many languages learned from his travels.[2]
In 1889, Johnson immigrated to the United States.[1] He married Martha Jessie Prewitt in 1893, the daughter of Harriet (née Fauntroy) and Clifton Blackburn Prewitt of Scott County, Kentucky.[1]
Johnson received a degree from the Phonographic Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio.[2]
Career
In 1892, Johnson founded The Lexington Standard (1892–1912), a weekly African American newspaper published in Lexington, Kentucky.[1][3][4][5] He sold the newspaper to R. C. O. Benjamin in 1897, and moved to Louisville, Kentucky.[1] While living in Louisville, Johnson founded The Kentucky Standard newspaper, located at 708-12th Street.[1][6] In his writings, Johnson was a civil rights activist and wrote against the crime of lynching.[1]
Johnson was a Kentucky delegate-at-large in the 1908 Republican National Convention in Chicago, and he campaigned for President William Howard Taft.[1]
In 1908, Johnson returned to The Lexington Standard, after the murder of R. C. O. Benjamin the newspaper was financially struggling.[1][4] Johnson battled in court for control of The Lexington Standard from school teacher Daniel I. Reid and newspaper landlord Wade H. Carter, and won his case.[1]
Johnson decided to sell the newspaper in 1912 to three local men: Rev. A. W. Davis, pastor of Constitution Street Christian Church in Lexington, who became editor; Daniel I. Reid, a teacher who served as secretary; and Ed Willis, the superintendent of the famed Patchen Wilkes Farm, who acted as treasurer.[1][4] The new newspaper management changed the name of the paper to the Lexington Weekly News, with the first issue published on March 15, 1912.[4] It is unclear when publication ceased, or why but only three issues remain.[4]
Late life
After the sale of the newspaper, Johnson moved to Washington, D.C. to work at the Bureau of Forestry.[1] His date of death is unknown, but was sometime after 1915.[1] Johnson's wife Martha died in 1939 in Carlisle, Kentucky as a window.[1]
Publications
- Johnson, W. D. (William Decker) (1897). Biographical Sketches of Prominent Negro Men and Women of Kentucky. Lexington, KY.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Smith, Gerald L.; McDaniel, Karen Cotton; Hardin, John A. (August 28, 2015). "Johnson, William Decker "W.D."". The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia. University Press of Kentucky. p. 731. ISBN 978-0-8131-6067-2 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c d "Johnson, William D. ·". Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (NKAA). July 19, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
- ^ "The Lexington Standard (Lexington, Ky.) 1892–1912". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e University of Kentucky Libraries (1892–1912), Lexington Standard (The), R.C.O. Benjamin, retrieved December 31, 2025
- ^ "Black Community News". Lexington Public Library. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
- ^ Henritze, Barbara K. (1995). Bibliographic Checklist of African American Newspapers. Genealogical Publishing Company. pp. 57, 336.