Bill "Bojangles" Robinson is a forgotten piece of Richmond history. This statue was the first I learned that he had any relation to Richmond. It is located in Jackson Ward on a tiny triangle of land at 3 E Clay Street, Richmond, VA 23219. In is hidden in a quiet neighborhood once known as the Wall Street of the South, Jackson Ward. Nearby is the home of Maggie L. Walker, who rose from the ashes of the Civil War to become the first woman bank president in U.S. history. This whole neighborhood is filled with black history and worthy as a destination and much more awareness than it currently gets.
Mr. Robinson was best known for movies roles in the early 30's playing opposite Shirley Temple. I watched many of these movies as a kid and did not know who "Mr. Bojangles" was. As a teenager I became familiar with the song by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band that has recieved a ton of airplay over these many years. I heard it just this morning and old memories suddenly mixed with my new knowledge of Mr. Robinson. In the years before I came to Richmond, I did not even know Mr. Bojangles was a real person. He sounded just like a sad character in a song. Now I realize he was a living breathing human being and I want to find out more about him. There's no use in me cutting and pasting from Wikipedia. If you want to read his bio, then go there yourself. I'm at the public library and I'm going to check out a book. I can't wait to dig in to this real life folk hero and learn how he fits into Richmond history.
If you have a Bojangles story, you can share it here. Some of the older folks from here must have first hand memories of him. Now I see his ghost dancing in Jackson Ward.
Thanks to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for telling his story.
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