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BLACK IN TIME: A Moment In OUR History

Hugh Gaddy · Tuesday, May 25th 2010 at 1:27AM · 161 views

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson




On May 25, 1878, Luther Bill Robinson Was Born In Richmond, Virginia. And With Him, A New Word Was Added To The English Language. Best Known As Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, He Coined The Term, "Copacetic," Which Meant Okay Or Fine.

Robinson Began His Career In Vaudeville. His Tap Dancing (Considered An Original African American Art), Took Him To Broadway And Hollywood In The 1920's.

He Starred In Several Films, Stormy Weather (1943) , And Three With Child Actress, Shirley Temple: The Little Colonel (1935), The Littlest Rebel (1936) And Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm (1938). With These Films He Became An American Dance Legend And Inspired Generations Of Young Dancers, Including Fred Astaire.

Robinson Who Died In New York, In 1949, Said His Nickname, Bojangles, Means "Easygoing And Happy-Go-Lucky." Sammy Davis ,Jr. Revived The Bojangles Legacy With His 1969, Hit Song, "Mr. Bojangles."

The Amazing Bill "Bojangles" Robinson










"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.



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Hugh Gaddy Hagerstown, MD

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Comments (2)

Cynthia Merrill Artis Tuesday, May 25th 2010 at 6:47AM

Wasn't he (late) Sammy Davis Jr., Idol?.. The Little Colonel... He and Shirley Temple Tap Dancing... I vaguely remember that black and white movie

ROBINSON IRMA Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM

Gaddy, seeing that word 'copastic' sure brought a big smile on my face. such fond memories of the past when this word was used all the time.

thanks so much. (smile)

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