Bumpy Johnson

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 31, 1905, to Margaret Moultrie and William Johnson. When he was 10, his older brother Willie was accused of killing a white man. Afraid of a possible lynch mob, his parents mortgaged their tiny home to raise money to send Willie up north to live with relatives. Johnson's nickname "Bumpy" is derived from a bump on the back of his head. As Johnson grew older, his parents worried about his short temper and insolence toward white people, and, in 1919, he was sent to live with his older sister Mabel in Harlem. Johnson dropped out of high school and began working in casual jobs. Gangster William Hewett noticed Johnson, who began working for him. Johnson became an associate and enforcer for numbers queen Madame Stephanie St. Clair. In the 1930s, he quickly climbed the ranks to become her most trusted soldier. St. Clair incited a war with rival mob boss Dutch Schultz for control of Harlem's rackets. The war resulted in more than 40 murders and several kidnappings and ended with St. Clair's arrest and imprisonment. Johnson struck a deal with the Mafia after Schultz's 1935 murder through which he quickly built up his own organization in Harlem in exchange for favorable business deals. In 1952, Johnson's activities were reported in the celebrity people section of Jet. That same year, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a drug conspiracy conviction related to heroin. Two years later, Jet reported in its crime section that Johnson began his sentence after losing an appeal. He served the majority of that sentence at Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco Bay, California, as inmate No. 1117, and was released in 1963 on parole. Johnson was arrested more than 40 times and served two prison terms for narcotics-related charges. In December 1965, Johnson staged a sit-down strike at a police station in Harlem by refusing to leave as a protest against police surveillance of black neighborhoods. He was charged with "refusal to leave a police station" but was acquitted by a judge.

Reader's Guide

Bumpy Johnson's significance lies in his role as a Harlem crime boss who navigated the violent transitions of organized crime in mid-20th-century New York. After the death of Dutch Schultz, Johnson brokered a deal with the Mafia that allowed him to consolidate power in Harlem, becoming a central figure in the neighborhood's rackets. His life reflects the complex interplay between race, crime, and community in Harlem, where he was both a feared enforcer and, in some portrayals, a folk hero. Johnson's legacy is amplified by his enduring presence in popular culture, from the 1971 film 'Shaft' to the television series 'Godfather of Harlem,' which dramatizes his life. His arrest record—over 40 times—and his time at Alcatraz underscore his notoriety, while his 1965 sit-down strike at a police station highlights his willingness to challenge law enforcement. Johnson died in 1968 while under federal indictment for drug conspiracy, leaving behind a legacy that continues to be explored in film, television, and music.

Did You Know?

• Johnson's nickname 'Bumpy' comes from a bump on the back of his head.
• He served the majority of a 15-year sentence at Alcatraz Prison as inmate No. 1117.
• In December 1965, Johnson staged a sit-down strike at a Harlem police station to protest police surveillance of black neighborhoods and was acquitted of 'refusal to leave a police station.'
• Johnson was arrested more than 40 times and served two prison terms for narcotics-related charges.
• He died of a heart attack at Wells Restaurant in Harlem shortly before 2 a.m. after being served coffee, a chicken leg, and hominy grits.