Bumpy Johnson

Ellsworth Raymond " Bumpy " Johnson ( born October 31, 1905 in Charleston, South Carolina, † July 7, 1968 in Harlem, New York City ) was an African-American mobster.

Life

Johnson moved in with his parents as a teenager in New York 's Harlem district. He got his nickname because of a large bump (English bump ) on the back of his head.

He first worked for the band leader Stephanie St. Clair, which dominated the road lottery in their neighborhood. In this business and the gangster Dutch Schultz had thrown an eye and associated with him La Cosa Nostra under Lucky Luciano also.

Ultimately, the business was taken over by the Italians and Johnson himself later worked as a racket for the Genovese family, and in particular defended their interests in black neighborhoods of Harlem against local criminals.

Johnson has been arrested 40 times. Just before he during a restaurant visit in Harlem died of a heart attack in 1968, he had served a long prison sentence for drug trafficking.

The late crime boss Frank Lucas worked early in his criminal career as a driver and bats for Johnson. Lucas particularly close relationship to " Bumpy ", which plays an important role in the movie American Gangster, was Johnson's widow but denied.

During his imprisonment Johnson studied philosophy and history. In addition, he also wrote poetry. In December 1965, Johnson protested in a police station with a sit-in protest against his continued personal monitoring.

Bumpy Johnson in thriller

• Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story ( 1980), played by John Amos
• The Cotton Club (1984 ), played by Laurence Fishburne
• Harlem, N.Y.C. - The Price of Power ( Hoodlum, 1997), also played by Laurence Fishburne
• American Gangster (2007), played by Clarence Williams III