By Gwendolyn Quinn
The year of 1937 heralded many historical moments: Franklin D. Roosevelt was sworn in for a second term as President of the United States. William Hastie became the first African American Federal Judge. Joe Louis defeated James J. Braddock and won the World Heavyweight Championship. Singer Nancy Wilson was born on February 20, in Chillicothe, Ohio. And on January 13, Naomi Stansil was born in the Roxbury section of Boston, Massachuetts to Mattie Smith Stansil and Joseph Nathaniel Stansil. The youngest of seven children, the Stansil clan included five sisters and two brothers. Sadly, after only 13 months of life, Naomi’s oldest sister, Sheba died from a rare childhood disease.
Young Naomi grew up in a musical family. She started singing at four years old, mainly gospel music, where she and her family worshipped at the Twelfth Baptist Church in Boston. “Music was always in the house,” says Naomi. “We had gospel, jazz, blues, all kinds of music, and some classical music too. My father loved to go to the Opera and he would stand in Symphony Hall to hear and see the concerts because we weren’t allowed to sit, nor could he afford to purchase tickets. My brothers Gad and Joseph sang, my sister Mary Lou played the violin and sang, my sister Ruthie sang the blues, and, my sister Sarah played the piano, and she still does at 91 years old. She plays beautifully. We were raised that way and that’s all I knew. On Sundays, we had gospel music. My oldest brother, Gad used to shine shoes and sing to make money. My other brother, Joseph, he used to sing a lot of blues.” During those early years, Mother Mattie Smith produced a concert at one of the churches for her family and all of her children sang with her. Although she didn’t officially form a group with her kids, both parents nurtured and encouraged each of them to cultivate their many talents. At ten years old, Naomi began to discover her love for jazz; among her favorites were Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan.
The town’s original boundaries of the Roxbury community was the home to many public and private institutions including the Christian Science Center, Symphony Hall, Northwestern University, the Prudential Center, and Harvard Medical School. In the 1940s, Roxbury had become the heart and cultural center of the black community in Boston. Naomi’s sister, Mary Lou was also part of Boston’s historical landscape. She was the first black woman who served as a long distance operator at what was then known as the New England Bell Telephone Company.
In 1947, tragedy hit home again; her mother died when she was nine years old. Although the devastating loss of loved ones is a natural part of the human evolution, the loss of her mother at such a tender age left her father to assume and bear the responsibility of raising six children. Upon her mother’s death, and as Naomi entered her teen years, Rose Thomas, her sister-in-law via marriage was very present and prominent in her life. “She was like a mother to me,” Naomi shares. “Although my older sisters were there too, she had a big impact on my overall development.” During those teenage years, Naomi moved to the Buckeye State, where Naomi graduated from East High School in Cleveland, OH.
As a new jazz vocalist on the scene, Naomi received her start in Cleveland at the historic Majestic Hotel’s Rose Room Cocktail Lounge, where she performed on numerous occasions with the renowned Duke Jenkins Band. The Majestic Hotel was a well-known African American establishment located in the Cedar-Central neighborhood. The Majestic Hotel was touted as Cleveland’s version of Harlem in its heyday. Naomi also performed jazz sets throughout the city at various community gigs in conjunction with Cleveland’s popular radio station, KYW.
After seven years in Cleveland, Naomi made a detour to Chicago, where she went to assist Rose Thomas with raising her children and building the family hair weaving business. Christina Thomas Jenkins, wife of jazzman Duke Jenkins and the sister of Rose Thomas was noted as the first person to create and patent the first hair weave technique in 1951. Christina and Duke started their business, and the invention of the hair weave was born. After one year in the Windy City, she returned to Cleveland before heading to the Big Apple to continue pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming a jazz singer.
It was during her time in Cleveland when 19 year-old Naomi met her longtime friend of 60 years, legendary music icon Nancy Wilson. “We’ve been friends since 1958,” recalls Naomi. “We were the same age. My birthday is in January and her birthday is in February. We were on the phone the other night sharing stories and laughing about old times. She was singing at a club in Cleveland and we started talking, and later that evening, we went to the same party at one of my friend’s place, and we continued to talk, and we got to know each other. “My friendship with Naomi over the past 60 years has meant the world to me,” says Nancy. “I’m so glad we remained friends from then until now.” After Nancy left Cleveland, she moved to New York. She was there for three or four years. Then, she was offered a recording contract from Capitol Records and moved to California.
In 1959, Naomi moved to Manhattan in a shared apartment on 96th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West. Once she arrived in New York City, a dear friend from Cleveland had arranged and blessed her with employment at the world-famous Record Shack, located on 125th Street in Harlem. The Record Shack was the competing record retailer that was located directly across the street from Bobby’s Happy House Record store, the first black-owned business on the Harlem strip, which opened its doors in 1946. Back in the 50s and 60s, employment at a music store was one of the best entry level positions and one of the best experiences one could gain for access to the music industry. Still encircled by her passion of music, she initially worked there as a full-time employee before securing her second full-time prized position at Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI), where she worked for 11 years. BMI was another valuable lesson on the business of music. She remained on staff at The Record Shack as a part-timer, while continuing her musical aspirations as a singer on the weekends.
Left to right: Naomi, Judge Betty Staton, Dorothy Staton
Naomi resided on New York’s Upper West Side for four years before moving to Brooklyn. It was during that time that she met her dearest and beloved sister friends of 55 years, Judge Betty Staton and her sister, Dorothy Staton and later moved in with the siblings and their mother and stepfather, Beulah Staton Reese and Love Reese on Marion Street. Less than a year later, Betty had shared information with Naomi about a new apartment which was located in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill section of town, where she currently resides for 53 years.
Never taking advantage of her friendship with Nancy, Naomi recalls on numerous occasions during Nancy’s steady gig at the Blue Morocco in the Bronx that she had the opportunity to sit in for Nancy. When Nancy needed a break, she would ask Naomi to perform a few songs. It was during that time that Naomi met acclaimed pianist and percussionist Arthur Jenkins, now deceased, and award-winning composer and bassist Bill Salter, who later became musicians in her band, and 50 years later, are counted among two of her closest friends.
Nancy was often in New York, and she and Naomi would spend time together. Nancy loved Naomi’s style and would often ask her to go to Saks Fifth Avenue to shop and purchase various wardrobe items. In today’s culture that term is referred to as a personal shopper or personal stylist. At the time, Naomi was working at BMI, and she was near Saks and other high-end retailers on Fifth Avenue. “I enjoy shopping, and Saks is still one of my favorite stores,” she states. “Nancy and I were always friends. We used to cook together. We made a lot of spaghetti together. I remember when Nancy threw me a surprise birthday party in 1961; it was a lovely gift. I recognized who she was and I never tried to use her name to get jobs or advance my career.”
As fate would have it, Naomi met her soulmate and future husband, Joseph Stanley Johnson, Jr. on New Year’s Eve in 1965 at a jazz gig in Norwalk, CT. A native of Stamford, and a jazz drummer and conga player, Joseph and Naomi dated for a year and five months before they were married on May 6, 1967 at St. Augustine’s Church in Brooklyn by Father W.G. Henson Jacobs. Dorothy Staton was Naomi’s Maid of Honor and Dr. Gilbert Raiford was Joseph’s Best Man and oldest friend from Stamford. This year marks their Golden Anniversary of holy matrimony. Naomi describes life with her best friend. “He doesn’t take me too serious. He allows me the freedom to do what I want to do. He’s not the type of person to dictate what I should or shouldn’t do. I am an independent person and he accepts that, and I think it makes life easier for him, too.” Two children were born from their union; a beloved and devoted oldest daughter, Nikki Apicha Jawelo Johnson and son, Kojo Ayinde Johnson. Joseph and Naomi are the proud grandparents of six grandchildren; Juanita, Asili, Adanne, Tamish, Tajdar, and Zair. They have 18 nieces and nephews and four godchildren, Cameron L. Haynesworth, Judge Craig S. Walker, Candice Walker and Stephanie M. Sanford.
In 1972, Naomi started visiting Emmanuel Baptist Church (EBC), the Gothic-style landmark located on the historic block of Lafayette Avenue, between Washington Avenue and St. James Place. Rev. Dr. H. Edward Whitaker was the first African American Pastor at Emmanuel. She attended EBC for two years before she was baptized in 1974. As a frequent visitor, she joined the choir before she was an official member. It was Whitaker’s teachings and leadership that encouraged her to become a member. During her over 40 years as a faithful servant at EBC, she was under the direction of three distinctive and outstanding pastors including Whitaker, Rev. Dr. Michael N. Harris and now Rev. Anthony L. Trufant. Both Harris and Trufant are graduates of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. She counts all three as her mentors, and each has contributed greatly to her spiritual development. “I’ve learned a lot about the Bible from Rev. Trufant,” says Naomi.
Emmanuel Baptist Church has always been a diverse and progressive church and still carries the legacy and some of the earlier traditions established by the initial leaders of the church. Over the years, Naomi was also employed at EBC in various administrative capacities. She has been a member of over 15 choirs and ensembles, which included a mix of talented choir directors. She is currently a member of the Total Praise Choir, under the leadership of Kevin Wheatley. “I love Emmanuel,” says Naomi. “It has always been an open church, a community church. I remember when Duke Ellington and his Big Band performed at the church twice. They performed his sacred music compositions. Also, jazz artist Carmen McRae also came and ministered in song. I remember when the choir performed at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center and we recorded three albums [Emmanuel, God With Us, Christmas at Emmanuel, and Live at Lincoln Center] under the leadership of Dr. Marvin V. Curtis and Mrs. Sylvia Harris. I also remember when Total Praise recorded its first album, ‘Total Praise Live,’ produced by Pastor Haye. We also opened with Aretha Franklin for the nationally televised performance of ‘Joy to the World’ at the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting. It’s nice to come to church and engage and share in some of those experiences. It was very important to me.”
Total Praise Choir of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Brooklyn, NY performs with The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin at the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting
“For 26 years, I have watched Naomi Johnson bless and build several institutions,” says Rev. Trufant, Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church. “She worked at Pratt Institute. She served as a three-time member on the Trustee Board, Sanctuary Restoration Chairperson, and the Alice Mann Learning Center Chairperson and she is a member of the Sacred Arts Ministry (SAM). She is the matriarch of the Johnson family, where she serves as wife, mother, and grandmother. “Moreover, I have seen her demonstrate her great skills as a multi-tasker, doing all of the above while balancing a career as a popular jazz singer and active commercial actress. Naomi Johnson is the living embodiment of Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman” and of Proverbs 31 “Wife of Noble Character.”
Naomi singing at her daughter’s wedding
Naomi has not only served on numerous boards and ministries at EBC, she also served the young congregants of the church. “When I joined Emmanuel Baptist Church in 1996, Mrs. Naomi was my assigned emissary,” says Jacqueline Rhinehart, an entertainment executive, a former church member and a former resident of Clinton Hill. “Jazzy, joyful and musical, I was blessed to have her as my church friend. I initially met Mrs. Naomi during one of her jazz sets at our neighborhood restaurant, Two Steps Down. I appreciate her living faith, and how her daily walk optimized her talent, style, and grace, which infuses everything she does.”
Naomi is an active board member of Emmanuel’s Daycare. She served on the Sunday School and Board of Religious Education and Community Concerns. She was the Summer Camp Director and was part of the committee to establish the Girl Scouts at EBC. She was the co-chairperson for the 125th Church Anniversary held at the historic Waldorf Astoria. She served as a member on the Mission and Benevolence Committee. She was a member of the Graduation Committee, created by Dr. Marvin V. Curtis, and now led by Dr. Edith Calhoun. She served on the Pastor Search Committee that recommended both Rev. Harris and Rev. Trufant. She was a team member of the Afterschool program with Alice Mann, now deceased, and who was also one of her mentors and dearest friends. She often volunteered her time and skills as one of the cooks for various special events held at the church.
Naomi attended Pace University and studied Community Affairs. Concurrently, as she settled into family and church life, she secured a full-time position as an Office Aide for St. Augustine’s Parish Day School and later at the Wonderland Daycare Center in Brooklyn. After her 24-year tenure at Pratt Institute, she retired as the Director of Operations at the Pratt Institute Center for Community and Environmental Development (PICCED), under the leadership of its founder and director, Ron Shiffman, a pioneer in the field of community development. Under his tutelage, Naomi expanded her knowledge on community relations and development. She also counts him among one of her mentors and friends. “I know that God placed me to live at 21 St. James Place to be a part of Emmanuel and Pratt,” she attests. “My life has unfolded because of these two places and only God knows what that has meant to me and my family.”
Naomi’s work in the community is well-documented. She served on the Board of Directors of the Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation, founded by Joseph E. Holley, Sr., a deacon at EBC. Back in the early ‘60s, Naomi and seven of her closest female friends established a club and provided a platform to fellowship and support one another as they started their lives as wives and mothers. Les Filles Chamente—The Pretty Ladies—was established in 1962. The group’s outreach to the community included various events and activities for the young girls at the YMCA, and they also held fashion shows for local charities. Group member, Frances Payne Hobson, now deceased, was a designer and seamstress and created many of the garments wore by the ladies in the shows.
In the interim of family and church, Naomi’s niece, Donna Jones introduced Naomi to her longtime manager and agent, Greg Alexander. Greg secured numerous opportunities in television and commercials for his client. Under his guidance, he landed one of her biggest career achievements. Naomi was featured in a Bank of America national commercial, “Five Fine Fillies’” campaign highlighting five female musicians. She co-headlined the Jazz Vespers concert with longtime friend and jazz singer, Debbie Carter at EBC; it is still one of the most attended Jazz Vespers events at EBC to date. For nearly 20 years, she has had a longstanding offer to sing for the graduates of Pratt Institute, both on campus and at Radio City Music Hall. “Dr. Thomas F. Schutte, the new President of Pratt Institute has always been very encouraging and supportive of me,” says Naomi. “And for that, I am very grateful.”
Over the years, Naomi has performed jazz sets at some of New York City’s most revered establishments including Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar, Sweetwaters, Smalls’ Paradise, The Cutting Room, The Duplex, Zinc Bar, Paparazzi, Sheila’s Restaurant, the Five Spot, Up Over Jazz Café, 200 Fifth Club, Two Steps Down, Baby Grand, Royster’s Rhythms, Parlor Jazz, and Yvonne’s Restaurant. Other career highlights included television commercials for the New Jersey Lottery, Eldercare, Tiger Toys, Flexon Sunglasses, and Linens ‘n Things. Over the past two decades, she appeared on numerous episodes of the Emmy Award-winning series, Sesame Street. She made a cameo appearance in the video of global superstar Beyoncé’s, “Best Thing I Never Had,” and she is also featured in an industrial video for Amnesty International. Her print ad campaign have included Stand Up to Cancer. She was the spokesperson for Macy’s Bras. She has appeared in ESSENCE magazine’s Christmas issue (1993) and Health Quest magazine.
The Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir at Brooklyn’s Borough Hall
Naomi is also a featured singer with the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir (BIC), under the direction of its co-founder, Pastor Frank A. Haye. “I’ve known Naomi for over 18 years, first as a member of The Total Praise Choir of EBC, and now as a member of BIC,” says Haye. “Through all of those years there’s one refrain that continues to resound when I think of her, she is consistent. As an artist, she’s always ready, willing and able to not only do justice to the musical task but to add her spin and flavor in a gentle, humble and unpretentious manner. She is a founding member of BIC and an active source of inspiration for me. I love and respect her more than she’ll ever know. She’s the standard that so many of us strife for; like fine wine, she only gets better with age.” When BIC was officially formed in June 2010 during Black Music Month, Naomi was among one of the first to audition. She rarely misses a BIC appearance and has participated in numerous special events at the United Nations including a performance for UN delegates from all over the world. She performed with the group at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Annual Birthday Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She joined the choir for the Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams’ Clergy Appreciation Breakfast at Borough Hall, honoring Pastor Haye and others in the community. She appeared at the Vigil 4 Peace & Ecology at Central Park on its world-famous bandstand stage. Naomi was part of the New York Philharmonic’s 50th Anniversary of Concert in the Parks’ “Share the Stage” event in Prospect Park. She was honored to join the group at The White Mountain Boogie N’ Blues Festival featuring the great blues singer and family friend, Alexis P. Suter in Thornton, NH. Naomi also ministered with BIC at the 23rd Annual Interfaith Peace Gathering commemorating Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bombing at the Quaker Religious Society of Friends. She was also one of the founders and former members of the Brooklyn Contemporary Chorus.
Jazz vocalist and BIC member, Brenda Fair Alexander, who also grew up in Boston, is a devoted friend who Naomi claims as one of her daughters. “Naomi is an awesome, beautiful and classy person,” says Brenda. “She has a sincere and pure heart, and she’s someone that you can always count on. She has been there for me on many occasions. I met Naomi and Debbie Carter in a vocal workshop presented by Aziza Miller. Ever since then, we bonded as fellow artists. We have traveled and performed on many stages together singing both jazz and gospel music.”
As she prepares for her epic birthday celebration on Friday, January 13, Naomi reflects on how it feels to turn 80 years old. “I never thought I would get to this point. I didn’t know it was possible to get to this age. All of my family went early.” Her 91-year-old sister, Sarah is now the matriarch of the family and lives in Northern California. Naomi is 11 years younger than Sarah; they are the only two surviving siblings. She often visits Sarah and takes off a few extra days to visit one of her favorite vacation spots in nearby Wine Country in Napa Valley. Both of her brothers, Gad and Joseph, died from cancer. Her sister, Mary Lou died at 18 years old of tuberculous, and her sister, Ruth passed away from Alzheimer’s. “It feels good to be alive.” Naomi continues. “My health is good. When I had my knee surgery, I recovered well. I can still drive a car. I don’t have any problems with that; I love to drive. Sometimes, I have trouble remembering things. As you get older, this is the kind of thing that occurs, but that comes with age; that’s what everybody tells me.”
Naomi would like to finish a big family project that she has been working on for many years. “I would like to do my family history,” she says. “Before my sister [Ruth] died, we went on a tour of how to find your family. We drove down to North Carolina and learned about my mother, and then I went to Buffalo, and back to Boston to look for my grandfather. I think it’s very important to know who you are and where you come from.” Gina Paige, the co-founder of African Ancestry has offered to assist Naomi with this process.
In her spare time, Naomi spends a great deal of time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She says family is the most important thing in her life. “I tell them ‘You came from a family,’” she explains. “We never have any fights in my family. You have families that have fights, and they don’t want to talk to each other. That doesn’t ever happen in my family. I’m very proud of this, and I’m very proud of my nieces, my grandnieces, and my children. Nothing else is more important than my children and grandchildren.”
Naomi claims many people as her mentors and friends including Judge Betty Staton, Jacqueline Holley, Ella Ivy Royall, Helen Covington, and others. She is also a mentor to many young people, and she’s very concerned with their spiritual growth and development. “One of the things that I think is very important is to have some good people in your life,” she exclaims. “I’m open, and I love people. My door is always open and if God allows me to do for someone else, I will. I talk with young people and advise them to be careful who they choose in their life; whether it’s the boyfriend or girlfriends. Don’t do things because it’s the thing to do. Sometimes, it’s not always the right thing to do. Church is an education; besides a service thing. There’s so much you can learn in the church and in the Bible. I encourage them to be honest with themselves and to value their life, it’s so important. Love yourself. When you love yourself, you’re treasuring yourself.”
Two of Naomi’s favorite pastimes are traveling and cooking. Her favorite vacation spots include New Orleans, Washington, DC, Napa Valley in Northern California, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Cancun, Mexico City, Canada, Egypt, and Paris, where Judge Betty Staton gifted her and Dorothy a birthday excursion. “I love Paris, and I would like to go back. I would also like to visit South Africa, Hawaii, Spain, Italy and various Islands in the Caribbean.” When she’s at home, she loves to cook meals for her family. One of her most requested recipes is her homemade chocolate cake. She is bombarded with orders during the holidays, especially from her grandkids.
Naomi plans to continue celebrating life and family. “I would like to sing as long as I can,” she says. Naomi’s life embodies the words of her favorite scripture, Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
“80 & Elegant: A Birthday Tribute honoring Naomi Johnson,” will include an evening of performances through song, dance, and spirit. The birthday celebration will be held at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 279 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., the program begins at 7:30 p.m., and is free to the public. The concert will feature Aziza Miller, the Peter Rogers Trio: Triple G, the Total Praise Choir of Emmanuel Baptist Church, the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir, the Jazz Trio including Brenda Fair, Yvonne O’Neil, and Debbie Carter, and other surprise guests. For more information, please call 917-541-4641 or email nikkijohnson1102@gmail.com.
Gwendolyn Quinn is an award-winning media consultant with a career spanning over 25 years. She is the founder and creator of the African American Public Relations Collective (AAPRC) and the Global Communicator. Her weekly columns, “Inside Broadway,” “The Living Legends Series,” and “My Person of the Week” are published with EURWEB.com. She is also a contributor to BE.com, BE Pulse (via Medium.com) and the Huffington Post. Quinn is also a contributor to Souls Revealed and Handle Your Entertainment Business. She is the curator of The Living Legends Foundation’s “The State of Black Music and Beyond” essay series published on the Huffington Post. Contact her at GwendolynQuinn@aol.com.