A racially insensitive term used to describe a Black person, usually a man, who performs (in a variety of ways) for a White audience essentially on command. The pop culture use of the name is originally in reference to William "Bill Bojangles" Robinson.
Despite White American appropriation of the nickname and term, Mr. Bojangles was a nickname given to historical tap dancer William "Bill Bojangles" Robinson (1878 - 1949) when he lived in
Richmond, VA.
The nickname increased in popularity during the Shirley Temple
era, especially after The Little Colonel was released in 1935, preceding Jerry Jeff
Walker's reference in 1968 by 33 years.
With the exception of
Walker stating the man he referred to in his song supposedly being White, the reference is still eerily familiar. Bill Robinson depicted a tap dancing
Black servant who sang and danced to entertain a White audience.
The racial undertone speaks to the latter.
King For A
Day was written by two White men, Edwin Moran and A. Dorian Otvos, and released in 1934, featuring even Black face characters.
A hyphenated form was
never used to identify or differentiate Bill Robinson from the song by Jerry Jeff
Walker.
If you aren't
Black and you think it okay call a person, especially a Black person, "Bojangles," you're an appropriating
racist. Bill Robinson, a Jim
Crow era singer, dancer, and actor, is Mr. Bojangles.
