He could beat you up and beat you down. On the streets of Harlem, Bumpy came home to a world where the Italian mob had cut him out of his illegal enterprises. Bumpy kept the war in Harlem, said Karen E. Quinones Miller, who co-wrote the book Harlem Godfather (no relation to the series) with Bumpys wife of 20 years, Mayme Johnson. One of her sometimes co-workers was a woman I only knew as Madame, who was also the local number runner. My Uncle Nicky knew something about Harlem bad men, because he had a pretty good reputation himself as one of the best second-story men in Harlem. Laurence Fishburne played "Bumpy Rhodes," based on Bumpy Johnson, . And I had actually attended his funeral. I didnt care; for the half-hour or so, I was busy taking in the apartment. Mayme Hatcher Johnson was the wife of notorious Harlem Gangster, Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson. Organized Crime Figure. In October that year we were driving past 116th and St. Nicholas Avenue in his Cadillac when he suddenly turned to me and said, Mayme, I think you and I should go ahead and get married. I was stunned, but I kept my composure. A large group of people was milling through the streets not a crowd or a mob, like I had seen during the Harlem riots just months before, but something gentler. He spent his 20s in and out of jail, establishing himself as a ruthless criminal. . Johnson, along with author Karen E. Quinones, has written a biography, Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson, about her late husband which will be released in February 2008. There were a bunch of men in the apartment Mr. Johnson always had at least two or three really big burly men with him and they hollered with laughter at his answer until he gave them a silencing glare. He has been the subject or character of a number of Hollywood films including The Cotton Club, Hoodlum, and most recently, American Gangster. His wife died in May 2009 at the age of 94.[13]. When we would walk into a restaurant, a fancy restaurant on 125th street, people would stand up and greet us. Im trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to correct this issue. One such life is Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson. Who shot Bumpy Johnson? I heard from one of his guys that he distributed heroin in the spray containers.. AllHipHop.com: So you feel he kept a kind of order to the streets, to the community?Mayme Johnson: Oh yes, I dont think the streets would have so much drugs and so much crime going on. My Uncle Nicky used to talk about him . Bumpy Johnson's granddaughter says her notorious gangster father not only hung out with Malcolm X but tried to warn him that his life was in danger! I stayed at the hospital with him when he was so sick. I quickly decided to move on, and forgetting about the hamburger and milk shake, I headed toward the sanctuary of 115th Street . We had a good time together. In 1948, Mrs. Johnson married Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson, portrayed in American Gangster, the 2007 film that focused on another Harlem underworld figure, Frank Lucas. One such life is Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson. Until the movie 'American Gangster' came out, and Mayme found out that Frank Lucas was telling people that he was once Bumpy's right-hand man. How about you?, He controlled much of Harlem and maintained a strong relationship with mob kingpin Charles Lucky Luciano. The real relationship between Bumpy and Frank was basically Frank was just a person that would hold Bumpys coat and follow him around and justvery distant, very poor. Bumpys funeral! he answered me in a loud whisper, as if we really were in church, and not in the middle of Lenox Avenue . They were big rough-looking men, not the kind of men who could be the master of this magnificent home. Whats wrong? Mr. Johnson asked as I slowly picked up my spoon. David Lee/Epix. It was the first of many visits that summer. By the time I returned home that evening, the whole incident was totally forgotten. Once the hysteria subsided and Malcolm X's body was carried away on a stretcher, the crowd began to attack the suspects right before the two men were taken into police custody. I appreciate you Bumpy Johnson is a Criminal, zodiac sign: Scorpio. Johnson was eating a breakfast of fried chicken and eggs at Wells Restaurant in Harlem when cholesterol accomplished what his adversaries could not. How do you feel about that? [4] He became St Clair's principal lieutenant in the 1930s. And you have a chance to go to a really good school. Johnson gained notoriety while working for mob boss Madame Stephanie St. Clair, who ran an illegal gambling racket and was nicknamed "The . Setiap orang bisa memainkannya hanya dengan duduk manis di rumah. I know this is kinda off topic however , Id figured Id The episode was about the only successful escape from Alcatraz Penitentiary, which occurred in 1962. No drugs were found and Bumpy was cut loose on the $50,000 bail. A funeral service followed at the Faith Temple of God in Christ. Almost immediately after he was rushed to the hospital, Malcolm X was dead. First, the mob was heavy into the drug trade as well for almost the entire 20th century, so that wasn't unique to Lucas or Bumpy Johnson. Malcolm X announced his split from the Nation of Islam on March 8, 1964. Like even during the riots, he tried to calm the people down. Because white men in Harlem were easily identified, he was able to go after Dutchs gang. ", confession letter that Wood wrote in 2011 surfaced, JFK assassination facts that most history buffs don't know. Muhammad had also publicly disavowed Malcolm X from the organization following the latter's controversial remarks after President John F. Kennedy's assassination. Police said that Hagan had a pistol with four unused bullets at the time of his arrest. First of all, I never considered that Mr. Johnson could ever have been a child. "Yeah, of course," was her response. Malcolm's own suspicions that he would be killed because of his beliefs were well documented. During the time Bumpy was there, he could just walk through the street and things just would look a little better and it would be less crime if Bumpy was alive. He died before the case went to trial. Under his new name, he quickly worked on helping Muhammad expand his base of followers, traveling across the country to preach their message of a separate and powerful Black state. I think Frank drove him only two times and somebody threw a brick in the car then. On Feb. 21, 1965, Malcolm X held a rally at the Audubon Ballroom in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City for his newly formed Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU), a non-religious group that aimed to unite Black Americans in their fight for human rights. Elise Johnson is the true daughter of Bumpy and Mayme Johnson, and Margaret Johnson's mom. The war lasted nearly three years. Butler was paroled in 1985, Johnson was released in 1987, and Hayer was paroled in 2010. www.harlemgodfather.com. And I frankly and sincerely pray for similar blessings from Him to repeat themselves as often as He can. Related Articles A public viewing of his casket took place at the Unity Funeral Home in Harlem, where some 14,000 to 30,000 mourners paid their respects following Malcolm X's assassination. My mother simply gushed when she saw it, and she proudly showed the report card around the office. To get it, he ran roughshod over the numbers bosses of Harlem, giving them the option of working for him or losing their businesses altogether. The film concentrates on Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (Laurence Fishburne), Dutch Schultz (), and Lucky Luciano (Andy Garca). Yet when it was his time to go, in 1968, he died of a heart attack. So, they shipped Johnson off to live with his sister in Harlem. Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson, "The Fascinating Story Of Mob Boss Bumpy Johnson", "The True Story Behind Godfather of Harlem", "[Video] Mayme Hatcher Johnson: Wife of Notorious Harlem Gangster Ellsworth", "Mayme Hatcher Johnson, Author and Widow of Harlem Gangster Bumpy Johnson, dead at 94", "Joe Queenan on 'Bumpy' Johnson, the most feared criminal in 1930s Harlem", "Bumpy Johnson Profile - Famous Bookmaker and Mob Boss from New York City", "FROM HARLEM TO 'HOODLUM' MEET THE BLACK MOBSTER WHOSE 'BUMPY' LIFE OF CRIME IS NOW A NEW MOVIE", "Ellsworth Raymond 'Bumpy' Johnson - On this day", "Forest Whitaker To Topline Straight-To-Series Crime Drama At Epix", "Central Cee Drops Surprise 'No More Leaks' EP, Leads With "One Up" Video", Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson - by Mayme Hatcher Johnson, Association Against the Prohibition Amendment, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Medicinal Liquor Prescriptions Act of 1933, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bumpy_Johnson&oldid=1141470009, Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In the second episode of the third season of, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 06:15. Johnson was born in 1914 in NC, and moved to New York City in 1938, where she found work as a waitress in a club owned by singer/actress Ethel Waters. If he knew something was wrong, he would go and try to straighten it out. Slowly, in the decades since, new details and revelations have emerged related to the assassination of Malcolm X that have upended the initial story. But the life envisioned by Johnsons father was not to be. Godfather of Harlem S1E8, How I Got Over, starts with an obvious fakeout. Malcolm X dressed in a white shroud in coffin which is customary according to his Muslim faith. By age 15, Johnson was already a prolific second-story man. Guys who survived the crime scene in Harlem were special, powerful, strong-willed people, Paul Eckstein, co-creator and co-writer of Godfather of Harlem, the Johnson bio-series starring Forest Whitaker and dropping Sunday on Epix, told The Post. There aren't many men who would lay down their lives for you.". Published May 18, 2009. Years after her his father's death, Malcolm's mother Louise suffered a mental breakdown and was institutionalized, forcing Malcolm and his siblings to be separated and put in foster homes. "We will not only send [armed guerrillas] to Mississippi, but to any place where black people's lives are threatened by white bigots. Culture. No. No. I pulled on the sweaty arm of one woman to ask her what was going on, but she looked down at me haughtily readjusted her scruffy brown mink stole around her shoulders with one gloved hand, and gave me a slight push away from her with the other. Though is real name is Ellsworth, a bump on the back of his head led to him receiving the nickname "Bumpy". It was a good title to possess. Mayme Johnson: Not at one time. Uniformed police officers with rifles were watching Bumpy Johnson's funeral. She loved telling me stories about Bumpy and his friendships with people like Lena Horne, Sugar Ray Robinson and his business relationships with people like Madame Stephanie St. Claire and Henry Perkins. Net Worth. In the first two seasons, Forest Whitaker's Bumpy Johnson was locked in a dangerous rivalry, sometimes allegiance, with Vincent D'Onofrio's Vincent "Chin" Gigante. Crowds and police officers outside the Audubon Ballroom prior to Malcolm X's appearance there. I couldnt make out what was being said among the raised voices, save for Madame, attempting to explain something. Miss Ke-Ke, you dont go to school to show off clothes, you go to learn, Mr. Johnson told me with a quiet smile. A new show on Epix is the latest to take a look at the life of Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson, who was 'the most powerful underworld figure' in Harlem from the 1930s to the 1960s. He was in the car the day somebody threw a brick or something at the car and it hit the windshield. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. After seeing Muslims of every color in Mecca, Malcolm came to believe that "whites are human beings as long as this is borne out by their humane attitude toward Negroes. A man who once helped me in a way that seemed positively heroic at the time. He became a highly sought-after speaker on college campuses and on television. And I couldnt believe my ears as the announcer called him the most notorious gangster in Harlem.. Letting It All Hang Out! Before dying, he and the NYPD had a final run-in. COPYRIGHT (C) 2017 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - BLACK THEN [5], In 1952, Johnson's activities were reported in the celebrity people section of Jet. Unfortunately, when Bumpy was just 10 years old, his brother, Willie, was accused of killing a white man in Charleston. Im just sorry that he had to pass away. Id do the same thing all over again. Bumpy had an affair with singer Lena Horne , socialites Amy Vanderbilt, Helen Lawson, played chess every Sunday with Malcolm X. This is the opportunity of a lifetime., I dont want to go, I insisted as I gulped down the bowl of chocolate ice cream he always kept on hand for my visits. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Bumpy Johnson married Mayme Hatcher in October 1948, just six months after their first meeting. Go out and buy Miss Ke-Ke some chocolate ice cream, Mr. Johnson said, his smiling eyes never leaving my face. The investigation into Malcolm Xs murder was mired in mishandling and sabotage from the outset. Bumpy Johnson - Mob Boss & Bookmaker. Later, as the 2 hour rally was concluding, violence erupted among the crowd of spectators. Well, hello there, he said his face breaking out into a crinkly nosed smile. Malcolm was shocked at Elijah Muhammad's unwillingness to take violent action against the Los Angeles Police after police officers shot and killed members of an NOI temple during a raid in April of 1962. And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: Wikimedia CommonsWhen he was young, Malcolm X's family was harassed by white supremacists. Season 3 opens in the aftermath of the Harlem riot of 1964, which was prompted after 15-year-old African American . "As I rose to leave, I hoped we would meet again. For that, the citizens of Harlem loved him and feared him., Born in Charleston, SC, in 1905, Bumpy (the nickname either stems from a bump on his head or his habit of bumping people off) was sent by his banker father to Harlem in 1919, with the hope that he would have a better life there. Bumpy would be the first black guy to stand up to the white criminals, said Chris Brancato, Ecksteins partner on the series. He would close off the streets and throw a party for them. Johnson was born in 1914 in NC, and moved to New York City in 1938, where she found work as a waitress in a club owned by singer/actress Ethel Waters. One year later, Johnson and a ragtag gang were committing armed robberies, extorting and selling protection. The police came, knocked Bumpy out and arrested him. Then, learn JFK assassination facts that most history buffs don't know. [10], Johnson was arrested more than 40 times and served two prison terms for narcotics-related charges. In her book, Stranger at the Party, Lawrenson writes about the time he left a steak dinner for a shootout on the street. On this particular bright sunny day in July 1968. Mayme Johnson was 93-years-old at the time. But it was not until 1932, after 2/ years in Sing Sing on a grand-larceny conviction, that Johnson would earn his Godfather of Harlem sobriquet. It meant I could get in anywhere I wanted to go, I was treated as queen wherever I went, and I was showered with gifts and jewelry on a steady basis. Godfather of Harlem is an American crime drama that chronicles the true story of New York City crime boss Bumpy Johnson. Depicted as Lucas mentor, the exploits of Johnson, once chronicled by Lawrence Fishburne in the movie Hoodlum have returned to our attention.Although hes been gone since 1968, Johnson left behind a valuable piece of his legacy: his still alive and kicking wife, Mayme Johnson, who vehemently defends his legacy, and takes issue with his depiction in American Gangster, particularly his relationship to Lucas. He had no real relationship with Bumpy. Merchants in the area had been urged to close by supporters of Malcolm, but only a smattering of stores suspended business. Elise Johnson is the real daughter of Bumpy and Mayme Johnson, and Margaret Johnson's mother. Manage Settings Whats everyone standing around for? I demanded. Soon after, Malcolm discovered that Muhummad had been having extramarital affairs with NOI secretaries, which went against NOI teachings. Betty Shabazz and others grieve as Malcom X's casket is lowered down. Kids laughed at you because of your clothes? I eyed him suspiciously. I always hated when our visits ended, and would pout when Madame said it was time to go, but Mr. Johnson would smile and pat me on the head saying, You know youre going to be seeing me again, Miss Ke-Ke.. https://www.nytimes.com/1968/07/10/archives/bumpy-johnson-62-gambler-is-dead.html. Secondly, yes drugs are profitable, but now imagine adding a percent tax of every piece of clothing sold in New York City, or charging an extra nickel for every mile every delivery truck drives, or an extra . "In every free moment I had, if I was not reading in the library, I was reading on my bunk," Malcolm revealed in The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Before long I was known as Bumpys girl. Instead of walking away from the crowd, I was moving further into it as I tried to walk towards 115th Street . Did You Know That Disney Released A Cartoon Featuring A Freed Slave As The Hero? He was doubtful that we would because 'they're going to kill me soon,'" Ali wrote about his encounter with the prominent speaker. Actor: The General's Daughter. I was so impressed with the apartment itself I took no notice of the furniture. ", Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson and Flash Walker, the man who, later turned on Johnson and framed in a drug conspiracy. Played by Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker, fans are transported . We did not live in a brownstone and Frank Lucas did not live with us. Didnt make much sense to me. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Gangster William Hewett started to notice him. The funeral of Ellsworth R. (Bumpy) Johnson, a Harlem underworld figure, will be held tomorrow at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 122d Street and Lenox Avenue. Mayme Johnson: Well Harlem is nothing like it was. In 1948 she met and married Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson, the legendary Harlem gangster who was depicted in the movies "The Cotton Club," "Hoodlum," and "American Gangster ." Yeah, I decided, that Bumpy Johnson must have been really bad if the police was scared he going to jump from his coffin and start shooting or something. https://www.amazon.com/Harlem-Godfather-Husband-Ellsworth-Johnson/dp/0967602831/ref=asc_df_0967602831/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312149984830&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4977118682861682188&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007323&hvtargid=pla-574389033532&psc=1. His wife called him the "Harlem Godfather," and for good reason. Wood. He actually knew Langston Hughes, he told me at that first meeting! As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He was always dressed so nicely, always in a suit and tie, and even at eight, I could see that his suits and ties were very, very expensive. He wasnt Robin Hood, Eckstein said. And I am glad I was able to help. Mayme (she INSISTED that I call her by her first name. For more than 30 years, Bumpy Johnson was famous for being one of New York City's most revered and feared crime bosses. Getty ImagesMalcolm X with his daughters Qubilah (left) and Attilah two years before his assassination. After dropping out of school, Malcolm moved to Boston to live with his older half-sister, Ella. Miss Ke-Ke, he said, puzzled over my hesitation. Hiya! Bumpy who? The name was familiar, but I couldnt remember where Id heard it. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? Copyright 2023 AllHipHop.com LLC 2023-Infinity, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window). Killen died in prison in 2018. Kevin Grace visits the grave of mobster boss Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson at Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, NY And it was Dr. John Henrick Clarke, the late noted African-American historian and pioneer of Africana studies, who got me in contact with Mayme Johnson, Bumpy's widow who was still. I heard the narrator launch into a mini-biography on Bumpy how he had fought a bloody war with the crazy Jewish mob boss, Dutch Schultz, over control of the numbers racket in Harlem. ", It was statements like these that garnered Malcolm X and NOI unprecedented attention and made Malcolm a lightning rod of media criticism. Is there anything else youd like to say in closing before we wrap this up?Mayme Johnson: I would say keep your children in school. Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 31, 1905, to Margaret Moultrie and William Johnson. MORE BLOGS Recap of the 54th NAACP Image Awards We've received your submission. The piece suggested that the prisoners had escaped with the help of a Harlem gangster, who used his connections to have a boat sent out to meet them in the cold waters of the San Francisco Bay. The book is Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Elsworth Bumpy Johnson. Mayme Hatcher was previously married to the American drug lord, criminal, and mob boss Bumpy Johnson. There was a commotion in the crowd a bunch of drunks, some rally-goers assumed. After learning about the tragedy of Malcolm X's assassination, read up on Martin Luther King Jr's dark side. "As long as I thought he genuinely believed that himself, I believed in him and believed in his solution. Because of his parents' activism, Malcolm's family was constantly harassed by the Ku Klux Klan. Dont let the thought of people laughing at your clothes keep you from learning.. Born on October 31, 1905, in Charleston, South Carolina, Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson received the nickname "bumpy" because of a bump on the back of his head. That was when goddaughter . Bumpy Johnson. One of the rally's speakers told supporters, "Malcolm is a man who would give his life for you. Lauded as the Godfather of Harlem, he was the Golden Age cat with nine lives. He lived off the poor, robbed from other gangsters and helped where he could. Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson was born on October 31, 1905, in Charleston, South Carolina. Especially no 15-year stretch. I wiggled through the crowd and over to my friend's house. He was charged with "refusal to leave a police station" but was acquitted by a judge.[11]. . Colombo has stepped in to fill the void left by Gigante's stint in . Bumpy is the main dinosaur protagonist in the animated TV series Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous. But the mystery of exactly who killed Malcolm X and why has remained disturbingly murky in the more than 50 years since. She met her husband in 1956 at a Nation of Islam lecture in Harlem. In late 1945, after living in Harlem for a few years, Malcolm and four accomplices robbed the Boston homes of several wealthy white families.
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