When Sammy Davis, Jr. began to establish himself as a major star in the mid-1950s, he was allowed to play hotels in Las Vegas but was not allowed to stay in them, eat in the restaurants or gamble in the casinos. This great talent was born in a Harlem tenement, grew up in vaudeville from the age of 3, and never went to school. His talents as a mime, comedian, trumpet player, drummer, pianist and vibraphonist as well as singer and dancer were shaped from his childhood and made him one of the nations first black performers to gain mainstream acclaim. I remember well the uproar when Mr. Davis married a white actress, Mae Britt. President Kennedy asked him not to participate in inaugural events because of this. He had the audacity to publicly hug President Richard Nixon. He kissed Archie Bunker on the cheek which is still one of the funniest scenes ever captured on television. It was with his great talent and friendships with others that Mr. Davis was able to break down many barriers against the blacks. There are many who have used wisdom, kindness, and great talent to break down barriers of previous generations. Too many today choose to use loud and ugly words to fight a battle of their own making. They look for insults and putdowns where there are none intended. Those few could learn some great lessons in lessening racial tensions by studying men such as Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Great change evolves through time and the work of those who make the changes one small step at a time. Mr. Davis certainly knew how to step ... both on and off the screen.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 11:29:43 +0000
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