In the spirit of Black history month and the commemoration
of influential black persons, When Words Are Spoken has
chosen to use our featured artist category to pay homage
to a legend before our time; the incomparable Sammy Davis
Jr. It is important for us as artists and entertainers today, to bear in mind those who kicked down the door that we currently access to share our talent with the world…those who in the days of old were relegated to using closets as dressing rooms and Styrofoam cups as toilets backstage, while non-black performers were lavished with the most posh and upscale facilities. Yet they endured it, for the love of their art. Having
said that, read on, friends…
"I'm colored, Jewish and Puerto Rican. When I move into a neighborhood, I wipe it out!"
These are the facetious words of a man whose talent was as multi-faceted as his heritage! Sammy Davis Jr. epitomized the old adage: “big things come in small packages.” Although he may have been diminutive in stature, his impact on the entertainment world and the advancement of black persons was anything but small.
Known for his unparalleled soft shoe routines and unique natural vocal ability, Sammy was a charismatic entertainer who never failed to dazzle his audiences. Unbeknownst to most, he was a multi-instrumentalist, playing the vibraphone, trumpet and drums. He was also a comedian, a stunning impressionist and, of course, an actor. There seemed to be no boundaries in terms of his artistic scope and as such, no racial boundaries in terms of the ethnicity of his fans. He was an all-around entertainer in every aspect of the term, who took the American and international world by storm against all odds.
Born in Harlem, New York to Vaudeville dancers, Elvera Sanchez, a Puerto Rican woman and Sammy Davis, Sr., a black man, Sammy's entertainment roots were firmly planted by virtue of his genes. After his parent's marriage dissolved, he was taken on tour with his father and Uncle, Will Mastin, who led a dance troupe. It was within this environment that his father imparted his knowledge of performing arts and dance onto him. Inevitably he joined what was referred to as the "Will Mastin Trio", where he honed his skills for a long and sensational career. His father's tireless efforts to shield him from racial hatred were interrupted by Davis's foray in the United States Army during WWII, where he was confronted by startling racial prejudice. In Sammy's own words: "Overnight the world looked different. It wasn't one color anymore. I could see the protection I'd gotten all my life from my father and Will. I appreciated their loving hope that I'd never need to know about prejudice and hate, but they were wrong. It was as if I'd walked through a swinging door for eighteen years, a door which they had always secretly held open." While in service, Sammy found a way to mitigate this hatred by joining an entertainment unit. In effect, he took the spotlight off the prejudice and hate and cast it directly on his music…an international common denominator that functioned as an equalizer of sorts. On this fact, Sammy stated: "My talent was the weapon, the power, the way for me to fight. It was the one way I might hope to affect a man's thinking". After being discharged from service, Sammy rejoined his dance act, began to gain popularity and a loyal following began to emerge. The world seemed to collectively concede that "The Candy Man" made their lives sweeter.
Various setbacks in Sammy's life served as hurdles on his career path, but Sammy's perseverance enabled him to leap over them. These hurdles included the loss of his left eye due to a car crash that almost claimed his life in 1954, a "swinger lifestyle" common to entertainers in his time, which included an unfortunate cocaine and alcohol habit and various personal controversies. During recuperation from his injuries, he studied Judaism and ultimately converted to this faith. Sammy felt that the plight of the Jews, specificily their unwavering spirit of resignation to prophetic teachings gave them a strong will to live and, in his opinion, this paralleled the plight of black people.
During his shining career he appeared in Mr. Wonderful on Broadway, starred in the musical adaptation of Golden Boy and made a string of appearances on television shows. Most noteably, he took Las Vegas by storm by becoming a charter member of the Rat Pack, led by his dear friend Frank Sinatra. Incidentally, Sammy's refusal to perform at any venue that endorsed segregation led to the integration of the famous, Miami Beach Nightclubs and Las Vegas Nevada casinos.
In September of 1989, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, which ultimately claimed his life. He died on Wednesday May 16th, in his home at the age of 64. By the time they removed Sammy’s body from his home in Beverly Hills, hundreds of people lined the streets and in a profound gesture that was indicative of the impact he had on the entertainment world, the lights on the Vegas strip were dimmed for 10 minutes. The city that never sleeps symbolically closed its eyes to concurrently lament and celebrate the legendary star.
…so next time you put pen to paper to write that poem…enter the dance studio to choreograph that routine… walk onto centre stage to rehearse that soliliquoy…or make that call to arrange the venue of your choice to bring your art to the masses, take a moment to reflect on people like Sammy, who blazed the trail that we tread upon today.
Written by Ann Ansah
