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NEW YORK (AP) — The New York City grave of one of the earliest black recording stars is finally being memorialized.
The Daily News reported (http://nydn.us/1sOr4AB ) Friday a memorial to George Washington Johnson has been placed at his Queens cemetery a century after his death.
The newspaper reports the memorial was the product of work by students and a teacher from the Aquinas Honor Society at the Immaculate Conception School who'd been researching Johnson's life.
The musician grew up poor in Virginia but found fame after penning the "Laughing Song" and others that became hits in the 1890s.
Johnson was born into slavery. He found success but died impoverished in 1914 at age 67.
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Information from: Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com
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