Fenton Johnson

Fenton Johnson (1888–1958) was an American poet, essayist, and playwright born in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the University of Chicago and later Northwestern University. Johnson published several poetry collections, including A Little Dreaming (1913), Visions of the Dusk (1915), and Songs of the Soil (1916). His work anticipated the Harlem Renaissance with its use of free verse and its focus on the experiences of Black Americans in urban settings. Johnson's poetry often explores themes of weariness, disillusionment, and social injustice, as seen in his well-known poem 'Tired.' He is regarded as a significant forerunner of the New Negro movement in literature.