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Mr. Bojangles: The Biography of Bill Robinson
Access to personal papers, scrapbooks, and friends enhances the first full biography of the nation's most famous tap dancer, the charmer, gambler, and entertainer who rose through the color barrier to the top of his profession
Hardcover
First published May 1, 1988
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115 people want to read
About the author
James Haskins
208 books39 followersHaskins, James (1941–2005), author of nonfiction books for juveniles and adults, biographer, educator, critic, editor, and educational consultant. Born into a large family in a racially segregated middle-class section of Demopolis, Alabama, where he was not allowed to visit the town's public library, James S. Haskins was deeply affected by the swirl of events related to the mid-century civil rights movement. He received his bachelor's degree in history at Alabama State College, but limited career opportunities in the South in the early 1960s led him to seek employment in New York City. Two years of selling newspaper advertisements and working as a Wall Street stockbroker brought him to the realization that he was better suited for a career in education and thus he applied for a position in the New York City public school system. After teaching music at several locations, he found a job teaching a special education class at P.S. 92. Obsessed with the plight of his inner-city pupils, he was glad to discuss their problems with anyone who would listen, including a social worker who encouraged him to write his thoughts and experiences in a diary. This resulted in the publication of his first book, Diary of a Harlem Schoolteacher (1969), which was widely acclaimed. This initial success attracted the attention of major publishers who approached him to write books for children and adolescents.
An admitted need to reconcile social disparities and a desire to interpret events to young people and to motivate them to read and be influenced by accomplished individuals—particularly deprived youth whom he felt had far too few role models to read about—led him to author more than one hundred books on a diverse array of topics. Written for a general audience of juveniles, his titles include The War and the Protest: Viet Nam (1971), Religions (1973), Jobs in Business and Office (1974), The Consumer Movement (1975), Your Rights, Past and Present: A Guide for Young People (1975), Teen-age Alcoholism (1976), The Long Struggle: The Story of American Labor (1976), Who Are the Handicapped (1978), Gambling—Who Really Wins (1978), Werewolves (1981), and The New Americans: Cuban Boat People (1982).
Haskins launched his college teaching career in 1970 and continued lecturing on psychology, folklore, children's and young adult literature, and urban education at schools in New York and Indiana before landing a full-time professorship in the English department at the University of Florida at Gainesville in 1977. That same year he authored The Cotton Club, a pictorial and social history of the notorious Harlem night club, which seven years later was transformed into a motion picture of the same name directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
Among his books intended for adults or college-level readers are The Psychology of Black Language (1973) with Dr. Hugh Butts; Black Manifesto for Education (1973), which he edited; Snow Sculpture and Ice Carving (1974); Scott Joplin: The Man Who Made Rag-time (1978); Voodoo and Hoodoo: Their Tradition and Craft as Revealed by Actual Practitioners (1978); Richard Pryor, A Man and His Madness (1984); and Mabel Mercer: A Life (1988). He has contributed numerous critical essays and reviews to periodicals. Still, he is best known for his biographies, tailored for elementary and high school students. Most of these recount the triumphs of well-known contemporary African Americans, with whom many young people readily identify. The long list of persons he has profiled (often using the pen name Jim Haskins) include Colin Powell, Barbara Jordon, Thurgood Marshall, Sugar Ray Leonard, Magic Johnson, Diana Ross, Katherine Dunham, Guion Bluford, Andrew Young, Bill Cosby, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, Shirley Chisholm, Lena Horne, and Rosa Parks. Biographies of prominent individuals who are not African American include Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, Shirley Temple Black, Corazón Aquino, Winnie Mandela, and Christopher Columbus.
An admitted need to reconcile social disparities and a desire to interpret events to young people and to motivate them to read and be influenced by accomplished individuals—particularly deprived youth whom he felt had far too few role models to read about—led him to author more than one hundred books on a diverse array of topics. Written for a general audience of juveniles, his titles include The War and the Protest: Viet Nam (1971), Religions (1973), Jobs in Business and Office (1974), The Consumer Movement (1975), Your Rights, Past and Present: A Guide for Young People (1975), Teen-age Alcoholism (1976), The Long Struggle: The Story of American Labor (1976), Who Are the Handicapped (1978), Gambling—Who Really Wins (1978), Werewolves (1981), and The New Americans: Cuban Boat People (1982).
Haskins launched his college teaching career in 1970 and continued lecturing on psychology, folklore, children's and young adult literature, and urban education at schools in New York and Indiana before landing a full-time professorship in the English department at the University of Florida at Gainesville in 1977. That same year he authored The Cotton Club, a pictorial and social history of the notorious Harlem night club, which seven years later was transformed into a motion picture of the same name directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
Among his books intended for adults or college-level readers are The Psychology of Black Language (1973) with Dr. Hugh Butts; Black Manifesto for Education (1973), which he edited; Snow Sculpture and Ice Carving (1974); Scott Joplin: The Man Who Made Rag-time (1978); Voodoo and Hoodoo: Their Tradition and Craft as Revealed by Actual Practitioners (1978); Richard Pryor, A Man and His Madness (1984); and Mabel Mercer: A Life (1988). He has contributed numerous critical essays and reviews to periodicals. Still, he is best known for his biographies, tailored for elementary and high school students. Most of these recount the triumphs of well-known contemporary African Americans, with whom many young people readily identify. The long list of persons he has profiled (often using the pen name Jim Haskins) include Colin Powell, Barbara Jordon, Thurgood Marshall, Sugar Ray Leonard, Magic Johnson, Diana Ross, Katherine Dunham, Guion Bluford, Andrew Young, Bill Cosby, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, Shirley Chisholm, Lena Horne, and Rosa Parks. Biographies of prominent individuals who are not African American include Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, Shirley Temple Black, Corazón Aquino, Winnie Mandela, and Christopher Columbus.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 12, 2022
This one seems a little slow and repetitive in places (ex:he played such and such a place at such in such time etc). However, it was a interesting read to see how much a colored performer had to overcome to get where he did. I don't think this book idolized Bill Robinson, but it certainly doesn't put him in any other light then he was. He did ALOT of charity work and he worked very hard!
I personally would have liked to read more about his friendship with Shirley Temple but the book was very brief on that topic. Also, I found some paragraphs seemed like filler. For instance 'Bo would have heard about such in such story that happened at this time..' and then proceed to tell the story that really wasn't about Bill Robinson at all.
Overall I rate it a four because I liked the historical insight of vaudeville from this viewpoint and I just like to see Bojangles dance. Any man who ate that much Ice cream a day had to be happy in his feet!
I personally would have liked to read more about his friendship with Shirley Temple but the book was very brief on that topic. Also, I found some paragraphs seemed like filler. For instance 'Bo would have heard about such in such story that happened at this time..' and then proceed to tell the story that really wasn't about Bill Robinson at all.
Overall I rate it a four because I liked the historical insight of vaudeville from this viewpoint and I just like to see Bojangles dance. Any man who ate that much Ice cream a day had to be happy in his feet!
July 3, 2021
I loved this book! It was a fascinating, well-researched book about the life of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. I appreciated all the direct quotes from people who were close to Robinson. He was a flawed character, but I greatly admire his talent, and particularly his willingness to uplift others. Bojangles was probably one of the greatest dancers who ever lived, and he used his celebrity status to promote equality during the Jim Crow years. Bojangles was definitely flawed in that he gambled away much of his earnings, but he had experienced so many hardships throughout his life that he had great empathy for others who were struggling. I highly recommend this book, particularly to others who love classic movies and reading about entertainers from the early 20th century.
November 18, 2020
Wow! What a man. I loved getting to learn more about Mr. Bojangles and his life. My favorite fact is that he average 4-8 quarts of vanilla ice a DAY. I can only aspire. Not only did I get to learn about Bojangles tap career, but also how much of a racial activist he was as well. Great guy, cool book.
October 17, 2025
his story is so interesting this book is just so hard to read
April 5, 2015
Not well written
Not worth the read nor your money. Most of the book reads like your date listing for a tour. Only mentioning where Bojangles performed with a few details about his life sprinkled in between.
Not worth the read nor your money. Most of the book reads like your date listing for a tour. Only mentioning where Bojangles performed with a few details about his life sprinkled in between.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews