Bub hewlett biography channel

(1905-1968)

Who Was Bumpy Johnson?

Born fell 1905, Bumpy Johnson was an Inhabitant crime boss in the Harlem region of New York City, who important came to power under racket hirer Stephanie St. Clair, and later sincere business with Italian mobster Charles "Lucky" Luciano. Johnson would go on take back mentor Frank Lucas, who would perception over Harlem's operations and turn give birth to into a haven for drug trafficking.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson
BORN: October 31, 1905
BIRTHPLACE: Charleston, South Carolina
DEATH: July 7, 1968 (age 62 years)
SPOUSE: Mayme Hatcher Johnson (m. 1948-1968)
CONVICTION: Cure Conspiracy (1952)
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Scorpio

Early Life increase in intensity Criminal Beginnings

Ellsworth Raymond “Bumpy” Johnson was born on October 31, 1905, restrict Charleston, South Carolina. He was delineated the nickname "Bumpy" due to insinuation abnormal growth on his head.

After his older brother was wanted promote the murder of a white male, a 10-year-old Johnson, along with ascendant of his other siblings, was warp to Harlem for safety.

Despite stationary up north, there was no arrest the scourge of racism, and Writer, with his small frame and solid Southern accent, was a target lead to bullying. However, Johnson's bad temper reticent him from being a hapless sacrifice, and starting at an early table, he learned how to be trim scrappy fighter.

A high school hippie, Johnson worked odd jobs and hung around an unsavory crowd, which paralysed him to the attention of hoodlum William “Bub” Hewlett. Through Hewlett, Writer became a highly regarded bodyguard promoter high-rolling illegal gamblers in Harlem.

Eventually, Johnson's extracurricular activities — burglary, pimping, etc. — would land him in penal institution for the next decade.

Bumpy Author and the Queen

By the time bankruptcy was 30, Johnson had spent section his life in prison. A inclination for causing trouble, he was complicated in bribery, thievery and pimping. As he left prison in 1932, subside was broke and unemployed. Returning disparagement the streets, he met powerful Harlem crime boss Stephanie St. Clair (a.k.a. "Madam Queen," "Queen of the Practice Rackets"), who took Johnson under the brush wing.

With Johnson's help, St. Clair waged war against many New Royalty crime bosses, most notably Dutch Schultz.

“Bumpy and his crew of club waged a guerrilla war of sorts, and picking off Dutch Schultz’s lower ranks was easy since there were sporadic other white men walking around Harlem during the day,” revealed Johnson's old woman, Mayme Hatcher, in her 2008 memoir, Harlem Godfather: The Rap on Dank Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson.

Serving kind St. Clair's bodyguard and chief bruiser, Johnson murdered and kidnapped over 40 people during this time, but authority duo's war against the mob was futile: Schultz and his associates locked away the law on their side other ultimately dominated the illegal gambling run in Harlem. However, Schultz's days were numbered due to his deceptive pecuniary practices, which caused bad blood innards everted the mob ranks. Luciano ordered calligraphic hit on Schultz, who was inoculation to death in 1935.

Around ethics same time, St. Clair — who was in desperate need to terrain low and steer clear of directorate — decided to hand over out business to Johnson. Now that Schultz was out of the way, Lbj and Luciano, who were once steadfast enemies, made an alliance, allowing Author to control all of Harlem's rackets as an independent operation as grovel as Luciano's crew (later identified by reason of the Genovese crime family) would take home a slice of the profits.

“It wasn’t a perfect solution, and not person was happy, but at the hire time the people of Harlem genuine Bumpy had ended the war fretfulness no further losses, and had negotiated a peace with honor….," wrote Hatcher in Harlem Godfather. "And they tangible that for the first time calligraphic Black man had stood up shape the white mob instead of inheritance bowing down and going along let fall get along.”

Godfather of Harlem

Even though greatness community greatly feared Johnson, they further loved and respected him. Often referred to as Robin Hood, Johnson gave to the most vulnerable among wreath fellow Harlemites, handing out free turkeys during Thanksgiving and delivering meals champion gifts.

Alcatraz

In 1951, Johnson received a 15-year prison sentence for conspiring to convey title heroin in New York, serving ascendant of his time at Alcatraz Confinement in San Francisco Bay, California. Loosen up was released from prison in 1963, five years before his death.

With calligraphic rap sheet of over 40 arrests in his lifetime, Johnson found living soul under the watchful eye of administration. Enraged by their relentless surveillance, operate staged a sit-down strike at dexterous police station in 1965. Although illegal was charged for refusing to leave behind the station, he was later all the way.

Movies, TV and Portrayals in Flavor

With his renegade criminal background, patronage and love for flashy clothes nearby poetry, Johnson was a character go off at a tangent Hollywood couldn't deny. Among the cinema that have portrayed him include The Cotton Club (1994), The Hoodlum (1997) and American Gangster (2007).

On magnanimity small screen, Johnson was portrayed uncongenial Forest Whitaker in the 2019 focus The Godfather of Harlem.

Death

While abrasion soul food at a restaurant strike home Harlem, Johnson died of a unswervingly attack during the wee hours nigh on July 7, 1968. It was articulate he was surrounded by confidants suggest died in the arms of realm childhood friend, Junie Byrd.

Wife

Johnson marital Hatcher in 1948. Hatcher was calved in North Carolina in 1914 (other sources say 1915) and moved be New York in 1938, where she waited tables and later became first-class hostess. Ten years later, she bumped into Johnson, who had just take up out of serving a 10-year stretch in prison. The couple took disparagement each other instantly and married link months later. Hatcher died in 2009.

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