Bill “Bojangles” Robinson was born on this day in 1878 in Richmond, Virginia. His career as a performer began at six years old. At seven, Robinson left school to concentrate on dancing and by 15, “Bojangles” had become the toast of Broadway. In the late 1920s, the popularity of black revues grew among white audiences and Robinson became a star. He appeared in several Hollywood comedy musicals, usually playing servant characters in antebellum America. Though his stardom waned in the 1940s, he was still wildly popular among audiences until his death at the end of the decade.

Factoid: May 25th is National Tap Dancing Day, in honor of Robinson’s birthday.