Since the popular American trend was to import and hire European musicians to perform concert music, Black musicians who emulated Europeans had an advantage. With this, Francis Johnson may have believed that social improvements for his race depended on the guise of assimilation. He may have recognized that the economic power was associated with concert music. Certainly, Johnson and others witnessed the import of Europeans to American concert venues, the popularity of these musicians, and the financial gain from their craft.

However, one needed to learn the craft in order to take advantage of this opportunity. Luckily, some European musicians came to America without an embedded bigotry or the restrictions of racial discrimination that were held by many White Americans–recently recruited Europeans who had no qualms about teaching the trade to Black instrumentalists. Historian Maud Cuney-Hare confirms: “meritorious concert performances were being given by trained Negro virtuosos before 1846.” As a result of the non-discriminatory nature of many imported Europeans, under their tutelage, many Black musicians’ performances became comparable to those of Europeans. Their music education translated into solo, orchestral, theatre, and dance performance opportunities in both the Black and the White communities.

W.E.B. Du Bois claims: “In those somber forests of his striving his own soul rose before him, and he saw himself, –darkly as through a veil; and yet he saw in himself some faint revelation of his power, of his mission. He began to have a dim feeling that, to attain his place in the world, he must be himself, and not another.” In their quest for social elevation, Black Americans adopted many European and popular American trends, but assumed more than just European music with their individual identities. One place that this integration manifested itself was within the social dance sphere. With this seeming assimilation, Black Americans were not merely the entertainment, as before, but also the entertained. Given this new medium through which to demonstrate their promising social status, Blacks in good financial standing, as well as those infected with the newly-popular dances, decided that they too should have their own social dances. These events suggested to La Brew that, “The Black Philadelphians, obviously adapt[ed] to the social etiquette of the affluent Whites.” Although the social dances can be interpreted as Blacks adapting to White social norms, one should also note the prevalent retention of Black identity at the events. La Brew concedes:

When the company began to assemble at half past seven in the evening, a large charcoal map of Africa, placed on the floor, greeted them. A large transparency, designed by Quaminy Brown, representing in one part the Abolition Society breaking the shackles of the Negroes was hung opposite the orchestras. Political overtones were apparent from the onset (1977:12).

As exemplified by the map of Africa in the entrance of the venue, the dance patrons honored their African heritage, thus inscribing their past identity within their new social environment.

Francis Johnson’s orchestra provided the music for one of these Black social dances. La Brew’s acknowledgment of the “political overtones” at the event may refer to a composition by Johnson. In 1825, Johnson composed the ‘Recognition March of the Independence of Hayti’ for piano and flute to commemorate Haiti’s achievement of independence in 1804. The ‘Recognition March’ was published in 1826. Arthur La Brew analyzes the piece: “Strong in rhythmic treatment, the march has, however, overtones of an operatic overture. After an opening section of twelve-measures, Johnson introduces a solo on the Kent bugle. A second melody is introduced and embellished with a counter melody played on the flute. A twelve bar section modulates to the relative minor key before proceeding to the final eight-measure repetition.”

The piece exemplifies Johnson’s social consciousness and his musical scholarship; he not only demonstrates his understanding of the unjust society, since it was motivated by a political situation, but also emphasizes his compositional control over the European style. While this style was socially accepted and respected by his White audiences, his motives and musicianship were respected by his Black audiences. The combination of public acceptance, social understanding and European musical mastery cemented his success and place in history. The ensemble may have provided “a need in the Black community, perhaps as a pasttime [sic], while later, it [the ensembles] achieved more popularity by its association with more elite, White community.” Johnson’s deliverance of European concert music to the Black community fused the two cultures together.