Born a free black in 1792 Philadelphia, Francis "Frank" Johnson was a very rare, early nineteenth century, successful African American composer and musician. He was self-taught and yet mastered the keyed Kent bugle and the violin. He wrote more than two hundred original compositions in a wide range of genres, including operatic airs, minstrel songs, patriotic marches, ballads, cotillions, and other dance music. Johnson was the first African American composer to have his works published as sheet music and the first to give public concerts as well as participate in racially integrated concerts in the United States. He also led the first American musical ensemble to perform concerts abroad. He is responsible for introducing the extended technique of singing while playing, which became very popular well into the twentieth century. His strong interest in program music served as a legacy to composers and performers who followed him, even in the twenty-first century. The Boston Pops program music is a good example of how Johnson's ideas are still transmitted to musicians today. Many critics believe that aside from Johnson's considerable talent and business sense, he was born in the right place at the right time, since eighteenth and nineteenth century Philadelphia was cosmopolitan, with a number of citizens as members of diverse groups and possessing an open minded, inclusive outlook. Had he been born or lived in many other parts of the United States he would have had a much more difficult time pursuing his musical career.

Johnson began life in Martinique in the West Indies, but moved to Philadelphia as a teenager. By 1824 he had attained a level of popularity sufficient to be asked to write and perform most of the music program for General Lafayette's return to Philadelphia. Though he was a prolific composer, none of the band and orchestra arrangements have survived, though much of the piano arrangements still exist.