Description
Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson was born on October 31, 1905, in the city of Charleston in South Carolina, to Margaret Johnson and William Johnson.
Ellsworth Raymond Johnson, more often known by Johnson's Nickname - "Bumpy" Johnson, was a 20th-century Harlem gangster and street hustler who was revered and reviled by his Harlem neighborhood and the public alike for more than a decade in and around New York.
As the “Harlem Godfather” or "Godfather of Harlem" Ellsworth Raymond dominated the neighborhood’s illegal gambling operations scene and ruled with an iron fist. He also worked with the Italian mafia or Italian mob and was associated with the Genovese crime family.
During his lifetime, Johnson ran several lucrative operations including bootlegging, gambling, loan sharking and money laundering. Despite being arrested numerous times for a variety of crimes, the "Godfather of Harlem" never served more than five years in prison.
On July 7, 1968, "Bumpy" Johnson died of a heart attack/heart failure in a New York City Police station, while being questioned about a police officer's homicide. The legendary crime boss, was only 63 years old.
In the 1960s, Ellsworth Raymond became an icon of Black America when he was mentioned by Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. His life was later portrayed in many books, films and other media formats including Donnie Brasco (1997), The Cotton Club (1984), and American Gangster (2007), and Godfather Of Harlem (2019) where he is played by actor Forest Whitaker.
Throughout his life, Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson maintained a close relationship with the San Francisco Bay Area. As a young man, he frequently traveled to the area for business and pleasure. In later years, he continued to visit family members living in the region. Bumpy Johnson's legacy has lived on in the Bay Area, inspiring many local artists to create works based on his story.
"Bumpy" Johnson will forever be remembered as a legend whose influence extended from the streets of Harlem to the San Francisco Area and beyond. He was a man who could never be forgotten. He was the original Godfather of Harlem and, in many ways, remains an icon of African-American culture to this day.
About Our Bumpy Johnson Buffalo Horn Piece
This beautiful Damascus is made with 512 equal layers of 1095 and 15N20 making each product unique.
The natural Buffalo Horn used in this handle cannot be duplicated.
If you have any questions please call or text (321) 271-5134 7 Days a week, 9:00 am-5:00 pm EST (Florida time). If you text after hours they will return the text the next day.
Phone orders are also available, use the same number and times as above.
10" total length (4.5" handle & 5.5" steel)