Author: Mayme Johnson & Karen E. Quinones Miller
ISBN: 978-0-9676028-3-7Publisher: Oshun Publishing
Publication Date: March 2008
Pages: 237Price: $15.00
The true Harlem Godfather’s name was Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson in case you heard wrong. Don’t trust Hollywood when you can know the truth from the one person who was closest to the King of Harlem and that is his queen, Mayme Johnson.
According to Mrs. Johnson, Hollywood got it wrong once with the movie Hoodlum where famed actor Laurence Fishburne played Bumpy Johnson, the slayer of the classless Jewish gangster Dutch Shultz. “I can forgive someone who got it wrong, but I cannot forgive someone that flat out lied,” says the very alert 93 year old woman. The latter that she refers to is the movie, American Gangster, where the talented Denzel Washington played Frank Lucas, a New York drug dealer who said he was taught by the Harlem Godfather.
To help clarify the life of a man that has become a legend, long time friend and Essence Beset-Selling Author, Karen E. Quinones Miller teamed up with Mrs. Johnson to get the facts straight about her husband and the man that brought pride to the Harlem community when he took down the notorious Dutch Schultz. The book, Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson is a tell-all book about the life of a gangster who was a humanitarian, a community leader, a husband, a father and one bad man who was both loved and feared.
Bumpy Johnson was a man amongst men and was said to be so tough that even the prisons wanted to get rid of him. The only place where he felt more comfortable was Alcatraz—a place for only the most deadly of criminals and they didn’t want him there either. There is definitely a shortage of gangsters that hold this reputation. According to the book, he was known as the “gorilla tamer” because he would stop any man in his tracks before he got out of line in his city. That’s enough to make any man think twice before crossing him.
He made deals with the legendary Italian gangster of New York City, Lucky Luciano and supported such great black men as Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X. He played host to such entertainers as Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Joe Louis, and Dickie Wells and many others. He also did time with the father of Rudy Guliani, former mayor of New York City.
Harlem Godfather is a detailed and colorful book that takes you on a vivid journey through the eyes of the closet person to him… his wife. From beginning to end, Mrs. Johnson describes her husband as a man that may have been a gangster but he was also a man of principle. He believed in being a race man, who is now called a black militant. He was a humanitarian who would celebrate the holidays with the children in the community, sharing gifts and good fortune. Later this gift giving would be depicted in several movies that showcased gangsters including New Jack City and In Too Deep.
Bumpy had a big heart. He once saw a woman that was being evicted from her apartment. He went to the landlord and paid her back rent so that she would not be on the streets. This is something that he was known for doing quite often. His heart was big for his people and even bigger for the love of his life Mayme Johnson. The love that they shared was like no other. There was nothing that he would not do for his wife and family. He made sure that Mayme was taken care of financially and emotionally. Mrs. Johnson makes it clear that she understand the life in which he came from but he was not like any other, he was a man who cared.
Bumpy Johnson is known for being a gangster that was vicious with his enemies but he was celebrated because of the many great acts of kindness, pride and confidence that he brought to Harlem. It is not often that a gangster is celebrated in that way but this was man that was definitely worth it.
According to Mrs. Johnson, Hollywood got it wrong once with the movie Hoodlum where famed actor Laurence Fishburne played Bumpy Johnson, the slayer of the classless Jewish gangster Dutch Shultz. “I can forgive someone who got it wrong, but I cannot forgive someone that flat out lied,” says the very alert 93 year old woman. The latter that she refers to is the movie, American Gangster, where the talented Denzel Washington played Frank Lucas, a New York drug dealer who said he was taught by the Harlem Godfather.
To help clarify the life of a man that has become a legend, long time friend and Essence Beset-Selling Author, Karen E. Quinones Miller teamed up with Mrs. Johnson to get the facts straight about her husband and the man that brought pride to the Harlem community when he took down the notorious Dutch Schultz. The book, Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson is a tell-all book about the life of a gangster who was a humanitarian, a community leader, a husband, a father and one bad man who was both loved and feared.
Bumpy Johnson was a man amongst men and was said to be so tough that even the prisons wanted to get rid of him. The only place where he felt more comfortable was Alcatraz—a place for only the most deadly of criminals and they didn’t want him there either. There is definitely a shortage of gangsters that hold this reputation. According to the book, he was known as the “gorilla tamer” because he would stop any man in his tracks before he got out of line in his city. That’s enough to make any man think twice before crossing him.
He made deals with the legendary Italian gangster of New York City, Lucky Luciano and supported such great black men as Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X. He played host to such entertainers as Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Joe Louis, and Dickie Wells and many others. He also did time with the father of Rudy Guliani, former mayor of New York City.
Harlem Godfather is a detailed and colorful book that takes you on a vivid journey through the eyes of the closet person to him… his wife. From beginning to end, Mrs. Johnson describes her husband as a man that may have been a gangster but he was also a man of principle. He believed in being a race man, who is now called a black militant. He was a humanitarian who would celebrate the holidays with the children in the community, sharing gifts and good fortune. Later this gift giving would be depicted in several movies that showcased gangsters including New Jack City and In Too Deep.
Bumpy had a big heart. He once saw a woman that was being evicted from her apartment. He went to the landlord and paid her back rent so that she would not be on the streets. This is something that he was known for doing quite often. His heart was big for his people and even bigger for the love of his life Mayme Johnson. The love that they shared was like no other. There was nothing that he would not do for his wife and family. He made sure that Mayme was taken care of financially and emotionally. Mrs. Johnson makes it clear that she understand the life in which he came from but he was not like any other, he was a man who cared.
Bumpy Johnson is known for being a gangster that was vicious with his enemies but he was celebrated because of the many great acts of kindness, pride and confidence that he brought to Harlem. It is not often that a gangster is celebrated in that way but this was man that was definitely worth it.
