Editing Francis Johnson (composer) (section)

{{Short description|American musician (1792–1844)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2008}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = Francis Johnson
| image               = Frank Johnson.jpg
| caption             = Posing in Philadelphia
| image_size          = 150 px
| background          = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name          = 
| alias               = Frank Johnson
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1792|6|16}}
| birth_place         = [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania, U.S.

| death_date          = {{death date and age|1844|4|6|1792|6|16}} 
| death_place         = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| origin              = 
| instrument          = [[Bugle (instrument)|bugle]], violin, piano
| genre               = 
| occupation          = Musician, teacher
| years_active        = 1810s–1844
| label               = 
| associated_acts     = 
| website                 = 
}}
'''Francis''' "'''Frank'''" '''Johnson''' (June 16, 1792<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title= Johnson, Frank |encyclopedia= The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music: Composers and Their Music |year= 1991 |volume= 3 |last= Rehrig |first= William H. |publisher= Integrity Press |location= [[Westerville, Ohio]] |url= https://archive.org/details/heritageencyclop0003rehr/page/406/mode/2up |page= 406}}</ref> – April 6, 1844<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title= Johnson, Frank |encyclopedia= The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music: Composers and Their Music |year= 1991 |volume= 1 |last= Rehrig |first= William H. |publisher= Integrity Press |location= [[Westerville, Ohio]] |url= https://archive.org/details/heritageencyclop0001rehr_z6l5/page/376/mode/2up |page= 377}}</ref>) was an American musician and prolific composer during the [[Antebellum era|Antebellum]] period. African American composers were rare in the U.S. during this period, but Johnson was among the few who were successful. Performing as a [[virtuoso]] of the (now rare) keyed [[Kent bugle]] and the violin, he wrote more than two hundred compositions of various styles—operatic airs, Ethiopian minstrel songs, patriotic marches, [[ballad]]s, [[cotillion]]s, [[quadrille]]s, [[quickstep]]s and other dances. Only manuscripts and piano transcriptions survive today.

Johnson was the first African American composer to have his works published as sheet music. He also was the first African American to give public concerts and the first to participate in [[Racial integration|racially integrated]] concerts in the United States. He led the first American musical ensemble to present concerts abroad, and he introduced the [[The Proms|promenade concert]] style to America.