NYU’s James Weldon Johnson Distinguished Faculty Award

In May 2023, the Black Student Union nominated and selected Dr. Jones as the recipient of the inaugural James Weldon Johnson Distinguished Faculty Award.  

 

James Weldon Johnson was NYU's first Black professor, a renowned educator whose contributions to campus advocacy led to the admittance of other Black scholars on campus. Johnson was also a key figure in the birth of the Harlem Renaissance, served as the Executive Secretary of the NAACP, and composed the historic Black National Anthem we sing today.

 

The James Weldon Johnson Distinguished Faculty Award is given to an exceptional Black faculty member who, in the spirit of James Weldon Johnson, has an extraordinary record of leadership and commitment to the advancement of Black students, in addition to participating in ground-breaking work outside of NYU to advocate for, amplify, and advance black community participation, unity, and development.