Bojangles

= = =BOJANGLES=

Bojangles full name is Bill Bojangles Robinson. He was an African American that loved to dance. He is an important figure in history because we see that he made was one of the first African Americans who actually achieved popularity between different races in the United States. He obtained the name "Bojangles" from the white people that meant happy-go-lucky.He had a manager named Marty Forkings whom made him mature and got him to do solo acts in nightclubs where he would earn a lot of money. In a week he would approximately earn $3500 a week. by the king.

As a child he was an orphan so his grandparents took care of him. He was born on May 25, 1878 in Richmond, Virginia. As a young child his real name was originally Bill but he decided that he wanted to change names with his brother Bill, so he soon became Bill Robinson. He first started off his career by dancing for pennies on the street. At the age of seven he dropped out of school only to pursue his dream which was to dance. He ran of to Washington, D.C. where he worked on the race track as a stable boy.In Washington D.C, Bill started touring with Mayme Remington's troupe. He was discovered by a vaudeville team. Vaudeville was popular around the 1880's up until the 1920's. It refers to a variety of stage performances, such as singing, dancing, juggling, patomime, etc. It could be compared to a circus. Through Vaudeville, Bill became a professional in his styles of dance. He used to observe the theatrical shows that they had and eventually was able to teach himself how to follow the same moves.Through this, by the time he was a young adult he was making a decent amount of money in different nightclubs and circuts.
 * Childhood Years**

Everyone loved him, especially because his creation of his famous "stair dance". He claimed that it was accidentally discovered while he was being honored Bill even set a world's record of 8.2 seconds for the 75 yard backward dash.He was mainly a star because of his crazy stunts. Robinson played a role in this musical "//Blackbirds of 1928//". The majority of his audience were caucasian, to them he was a star. He was a dapper, smiling, plaid-suited ambassador to the white world. He made a great impression to the white society.
 * Young Adult Years**

During his lifetime he starred in fourteen films, and most of the time it was along side Sherley Temple. They starred in four motion pictures them being //The Little Colonel// (1935), where he taught Sherly Temple his stair dance; //The Littlest Rebel// (1935); //Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm// (1938); and //Just Around the Corner// (1938)

Bojangles played in several on screen productions opposite white people. He also played in “Hooray for Harlem,” “One Mile from Heaven” and “Harlem is Heaven.”

Bojangles died of a chronic heart condition at the Columbian Presbyterian Center in New York City on November 25, 1949. He was lavishly eulogized by both black and white politicians than any other African American in his time. By the time he had died he was left penniless with no money. They had a funeral for him and television host Ed Sullivan personally paid for the funeral ceremony. Many people went to go visit him on this sad day, it was said that thousands of people lined up to commemorate his death.
 * Death**

At the Jazz Band Ball: Early Hot Jazz, song and Dance (1993) Soundies, vol. 4:Harlem Highlights (1990) Hrlem Roots, vol 4 :Jivin Time (1988) Stormy weather (1943) Road Demon in (1938) Up The River in (1938) One Mile From Heaven (1937) Dimples (1936) Great Jazz Bands Of The 30's (1935) Horray for love (1935) In old Kentucky (1935) The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935) Harlem is Heaven (1932) Dixiana (1930)
 * Films**

Bojangles was a very famous and important man in american history. He has even had films made about his life. The most recent movie reflecting on his life was naturally called __Bojangles.__ It stars Gregory Hines and the movie reflects Bojangles’s life and all his accoplishments as to how he was considered the best tap-dancer of his time, one of the first sfrican american stars and a huge stepping stone in the non-segregating of places such as clubs, theaters and many more aspects of the art world. Although Bojangles did have a big affect on how african americans were viewed he still endoured a lot of racism throughout his life. At one poeint he was at a restaurant eating when a customer objected to him being there. The manager asked Bojangles to leave please and Bojangles replied "Have you got a ten dollar bill?" The manager of the restaureant gave Bojangles the ten and then Bojangles porceded to take out from his own wallet six more ten dollar bills, mixed them together and then asked the manager "Here, let's see you pick out the colored one." The manager then served Bojangles without any problem.