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Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was bor Luther Robinson. Bojangle refers to his happy-go-lucky ebullience.
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Joined traveling company and entertained audeices far from his home.
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He got his first professional job performing as a member of the pickaninny chorus for Mayme Remington with The South Before the War.
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Started dancing for pennies. Began working as stableboy.
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He teamed with George W. Cooper. Bound by the "two-colored" rule in vaudeville, which restricted blacks to performing in pairs, they performed together on the Keith and Orpheum circuits, but did not wear blackface makeup that performers customarily used.
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Perforemd on stage in vaudeille shows featuring numbers by dancers, singers, and actors.
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Entered business with Marty Forkins, who helped him to fame.
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Began working as solo acts in nightclubs.
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Robinson was a gambler who possessed a quick temper and carried a gold-plated revolver and received an assault charge.
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Robinson's Stari Dance was ntroduced and was distinguished by its showmanship and sound, each step emitting a different pitch and rhythm.
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He married Fannie Clay who became his business manager, secretary, and partner in efforts to fight the barriers of racial prejudice.
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At age 50, he appeared in front of his first white audeince.
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His first film, Dixiana had a predominantly white cast.
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Robinson was named "Mayor of Harlem."
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Appeared in The Little Colonel, In Old Kentucky, The Littlest Rebel
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Appeared in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and Just Around the Corner.
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At the age of 61, he performed in The Hot Mikado, which is a jazz rendition of the Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta performed at the New York World’s Fair. Celebrated his 61st birthday dancign on broadway and continued to dance throughout his sixties.
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Appeared in war-time all black musical film, Stormy Weather.
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Dies of a chronic heart condition.
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U.S. Senate declared "National Tap Dance Day" to be on MAy 25, which is his birthday, in honor of him.
