William Henry Johnson

William Henry Johnson was born in Florence, South Carolina, on March 18, 1901, to parents Henry Johnson and Alice Smoot, both laborers. At an early age, Johnson enjoyed copying cartoons from the local papers. Becoming an artist was a far dream for a young African American boy born to a poor family during a segregated era. While he may have suppressed those artistic aspirations early in life, by the age of 17 he was ready to travel and discover his true abilities.

Johnson followed his dreams to New York City where he enrolled at the National Academy of Design and met Charles Webster Hawthorne, a well-known artist. Hawthorne recognized Johnson’s talents but was also aware of the hardships he’d face attempting to become an African American artist in the United States. Hawthorne encouraged and helped raise funds for Johnson to move to Paris, France, upon graduating in 1926 to further pursue his dreams of becoming an artist.

The Paris culture had a significant influence on Johnson’s artwork. The city’s vibrance and the exposure to works of Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Cézanne inspired him to experiment with more colors and forms. After several years of meeting and learning from other artist in Paris, Johnson moved back to the United States to make a name for himself in his home country.

Johnson is considered a major American artist that has produced hundreds of works including oils, watercolors, gouaches, penand-ink sketches, block prints, silk screens, and ceramics. He is best known for his landscapes and portraits. Johnson’s artwork includes African American culture and history, several series of paintings that featured religious subjects, political themes, the rural South, and the modern military.

We asked, "What was your... BEST OR WORST VALENTINES DAY?

think we’d need a reservation and we faced a two hour wait at the restaurant. He called around frantically to a bunch of places that all obviously had the same answer. We ended up being very overdressed at the local iHOP, which seems lame, but it started a funny new tradition, and we plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day there again this year!”

- Roberta Burns

- Erin Jordan

“My best Valentine's Day was in 2021 with my boyfriend Deon. We went to a wine tasting and got to learn about the types of wine and how they paired with different foods, and it was a very fun experience! It was also the first Valentine's Day we spent together, so that made it special.”

- Sheridan Murray

“Jake loves to joke with me, or at me to say the least. With both of us being very driven and busy, and the fact that Valentine's day falls during basketball season, the event is usually not what directors dream up in the movies. A favorite memory I cherish is of our first Valentine's together and naturally, it's a joke.

“February 14th, 2021, Jake and I meet at his place to head to dinner together. I am prepared with a card, and a gift, and Jake meets me with a warm welcome. As he opens his card, he sheepishly looks up at me and says, ‘I didn't have time to get you anything.’ Which begins the silent stewing before dinner. We make sure we are ready for dinner and head down to the car, wafts of steam coming from my disappointed feelings follow us to the door. It was freezing and when I jump in the car I almost step on a surprise gift.

“Closing the door and looking over at Jake with a Times Square sized smile on his face, he begins to laugh. He asks me if I believed him, to which I respond with a burst of laughter and relief. Driving to our dinner I open a sweet card, chocolates and a personalized coffee mug.

“Moral of the story, joke with your partner, but get to the punchline before dinner.”

- Charlee Rhodes

“My husband has always gone a little overboard on Valentine's Day. It's his holiday and since I am the lucky recipient of his efforts, I will not complain at all. We had only been married a little over two years on February 14, 2011, and I am sure he had elaborate plans and sure that he told them to me at some point, but that particular Valentine's Day, he and several hundred other firefighters were called to the Rainbow Agrium

Plant in Hartsville that had exploded. Not only did I not see him on Valentine's Day, I spent most of the evening worried that he would be injured in the explosions. What turned out to be an awful Valentine's Day was followed up by one of the most romantic days of my life, though. To make it up to me the next day he planned a scavenger hunt that led me two miles from our home to a candle lit, rose-lined dock at the lake where he waited with food and music.”

- Shannon Flowers

"Love is beautiful, patient, and kind. Love is my best friend and husband, Bruce E. Williams. We’re always competingtoexpressourloveforeach otherandespeciallyonValentine’sDay.

"The best Valentine’s experience we’ve shared together was the time my husband planned an entire WEEKEND of activities! I woke up that Friday to a full breakfast with a large bouquet of flowers. He then told me we would be out all day on excursions. I was so excited because I knew he had something up his sleeve. We went shopping, had brunch, and then he said we were going to do our country-side drive.

"Well, I fell asleep during our drive because it was so relaxing. When the car finally stopped, I woke up and looked over to see my husband grinning. We were in Charlotte, NC! Unbeknownsttome,myhusbandhad our suitcases in the trunk of the car and had already made reservations. We explored Charlotte’s attractions, had scrumptious dinners, and enjoyed sunsets from the balcony of our exquisite hotel suite which was adorned with gorgeous flowers. The quality and quiet time we shared that Valentine’s weekend was priceless."

- Lisa Scott-Williams