Bojangles Robinson

Hello! My name is Bill Robinson, but you probably are more familiar with my nickname, Bojangles! I was born May 25th 1878 and I am a tap dancer!

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

32 000 people attended.

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

My funeral was arranged by my close and personal friend Ed Sullivan and held at the 369th Infantry Regiment Armory near Harlem

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

During my career, I made well over $2 million dollars, but sadly I died November 25th 1949 from heart failure penniless.

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

I am most known, aside from tap, for the 14 films and 4 movies I made with Shirley Temple

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

I was also one of the first black men to perform on Broadway!

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

To celebrate my 61st birthday, I danced down Broadway from Columbus Circle to 44th St.!

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

#anotherfunfact: I was known for my ability to run backwards! I even set a world record of running a 75 yard backward dash in 8.2 seconds!

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

...and I "danced" my way up the stairs to recieve my honor!

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

#funfact: my stair dance was created when I was being honored by the King of England who was standing on top of a flight of stairs ...

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

I am most known for my "stair dance". I performed it for the 1st time with #AdelaideHall on Broadway in a musical revue "Blackbirds of 1928"

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

In 1908, I met my long time manage #Marty Forkins. He was able to get my performing solo at nightclubs making a whooping $3,500/week.

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

However, I was not able to perform for white audiences until I was 50 years old. I was performing exclussivly for the black theatre circuit

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

I would hate to brag BUT over the next 25 years I became known as the toast of Broadway.

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

I became well known for my performances as a nightclub and musical comedy performer.

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

..."The South Before the War".

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

The Mayme Remington's troupe was located in Washington, DC and toured with them until 1891 when he joined another touring company called...

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

I realized that dance was my passion & dropped out of school at a young age to pursue my career. In 1886 I joined Mayme Remington's troupe.

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

My career began at the tender age of 6 where I appeared "hoofing", an early form of tap dancing, at local beer gardens.

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

I was raised by my grandmother after my father died of chronic heart disease and my mother died of natural causes.

[Bojangles Robinson @billbojangles]

I was born in Richmond, Virginia and my parents, Maxwell and Maria Robinson, were machine shop workers and a choir singer.