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Revision as of 11:45, 16 October 2008
Ellsworth Raymond Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Bumpy |
| Occupation | Former drug lord |
| Spouse | Mayme Hatcher Johnson |
| Parent(s) | Margaret Moultrie and William Johnson[1] |
| Criminal charge | gay sex |
Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson (October 31, 1905 - July 7, 1968) was an American gangster in New York City's Harlem neighborhood in the early 20th century.
Early life
Johnson was from Charleston, South Carolina and moved to Harlem with his parents as a youth. He was given the nickname "Bumpy" because of a large bump on the back of his head.
Criminal career
Johnson was an associate of mob boss Stephanie St. Clair.[2] He was one of the leading criminals in Harlem to fight an unsuccessful war against Dutch Schultz, who incorporated the city's organized crime into the Jewish and Italian mobs of the day. He was later hired as an enforcer by the Genovese crime family to protect Mafia operations in black neighborhoods against local criminals, and even met Charlie "Lucky" Luciano more than once during his time.
Johnson was arrested more than 40 times and would eventually serve three prison terms for narcotics-related charges. In December 1965, Johnson staged a sit-down strike in a police station, refusing to leave, as a protest against their continued surveillance. He was charged with "refusal to leave a police station" but was acquitted by a judge.[3]
Death
Johnson died while dining at Wells Restaurant in New York, on the corner of 132nd St. and Seventh Avenue.[4] At the time of his death, Johnson's driving license was suspended, so he had his friend Junie Byrd as his driver.[4] Frank Lucas claimed to be with Johnson at his death, but Johnson's widow disputes this account and claims Lucas has exaggerated his relationship with her husband.[5] She claims he died in the arms of his childhood friend, Junie Byrd - not Lucas.[4] At the time of his death, Johnson's case was pending for another narcotics violation that could have earned him a possible fourth prison term. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. The headline in the New York Amsterdam News read at the time: BUMPY’S DEATH MARKS END OF AN ERA.[1]
Johnson in popular media
- The struggle between Bumpy Johnson and Dutch Schultz was portrayed in the film Hoodlum, directed by Bill Duke. In the film, released on August 27, 1997, Johnson is portrayed by Laurence Fishburne.
- Fishburne previously played a character based on Bumpy Johnson, "Bumpy Rhodes," in the film The Cotton Club, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and released on December 10, 1984.
- Johnson was portrayed by Clarence Williams III in the 2007 Ridley Scott film American Gangster as the mentor of Frank Lucas.[6]
- In the song "Failure" by Lupe Fiasco off the mixtape "The Truth Is Among us" the line "I'm Bumpy Johnson/stick to the streets/keep my dogs out in front of me"
References
- ^ a b c d Lloyd Strayhorn (2004). "The "Numbers" Game in Harlem" (HTML). pub. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
- ^ "Queenie and Bumpy" (HTML). crimelibrary. 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
- ^ John H. Johnson. Fact not fiction in Harlem (1980 ed.). Northern Type Printing, Inc. p. 119. ISBN B00072X07G.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help)p.103+ - ^ a b c JENICE M. ARMSTRONG (2007-11-05). "The real rap on Bumpy". Philadelphia Daily News.
- ^ Mayme Hatcher Johnson. Harlem Godfather: The Rap on my Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (when ed.). Oshun Publishing Company, Inc.; First edition (February 29, 2008). p. 248. ISBN 0967602831.
- ^ "American Gangster full credits on IMDB".
External links
- Hoodlum (1997) at IMDb
- The Cotton Club (1984) at IMDb
- American Gangster (2007) at IMDb
- Harlemgodfather.com, biographical info by Johnson's widow, Mayme Hatcher Johnson
- Ellsworth Raymond Johnson at Find A Grave
- John H. Johnson. Fact not fiction in Harlem (1980 ed.). Northern Type Printing, Inc. p. 119. ISBN B00072X07G.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help) - Mayme Hatcher Johnson. Harlem Godfather: The Rap on my Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (when ed.). Oshun Publishing Company, Inc.; First edition (February 29, 2008). p. 248. ISBN 0967602831.