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Bumpy Johnson – The Complex Character Of A Saint And Sinner

Coming from a background steeped in racism and poverty, it's no surprise that Bumpy Johnson was driven to become a monster and violent crime boss. Yet beneath the surface, the suffering of his youth left an indelible mark on the way he treated others who were much less well off when he became successful. He would give gifts, and even send the children of poor families to college. Though he spent much of his life in prison, he's still remembered with a mixture of both affection and revulsion.

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The Story Of Mob Boss Bumpy Johnson

You can thank the 2007 Ridley Scott movie “American Gangster” with Denzel Washington, for helping put the mob boss Bumpy Johnson into the American psyche. This was a drug lord, a devoted family man and yet a brutal murderer. He was also known as a poet, philanthropist and philosopher. This was a man who was a 20th-century crime figure in Harlem and was both revered and reviled by the public during his lifetime. Being the Harlem Godfather, he oversaw the neighbourhood’s illegal gambling. His fiefdom was ruled with an iron fist. Yet he was a friend and confidant of Malcome X.

So Just Who Was Bumpy Johnson?

Harlem is a neighbourhood of New York and Ellsworth Raymond “Bumpy” Johnson was the mob boss who ran it for many years. His name “Bumpy” comes from an unusual growth on the back of his head. For 40 years Bumpy ruled Harlem. But we should point out that 20 of those years were in prison. During the years on the street, bumpy had many different careers. Though he is intrinsically linked to criminal acts that revolve around his race. When Bumpy Johnson died in 1968, he was seen as the anti-hero of Harlem.

Bumpy Johnson’s Early Years In The Deep South

In 1905 Bumpy Johnson was born in the deep south of South Carolina. It was during the era of segregation. To that end, Bumpy grew up in a background of oppression and racism. The family lived in constant fear of violence and when Johnson was just 10 years old his brother, Willie was accused of murdering a white man. Because the family feared a lynch mob would come and take Willie away, he was secretly sent to live with some extended family in Harlem. Not long after, Bumpy followed in his footsteps and made Harlem his home.

From Small Criminal Beginnings

By the time he was 15 years old, Johnson was working odd jobs as well as shooting dice for money and playing pool. Just one year later, at the age of 16, Johnson got a gang together and they began selling protection to local businesses. As well as committing armed robberies. At the age of 17, Bumpy Johnson found himself locked away in Almira Reformatory. Instead of making him an upright citizen, there he met William Bob Hewlett. This man admired Bumpy’s abilities and he invited bumpy to work for him as one of Harlem’s high profile numbers runners.

Illegal Gambling Operations

Many underground gambling dens throughout New York were offering blackjack and jackpot poker. But by far the most popular underground gambling operations, when it comes to Harlem, were known as “numbers games” It was incredibly popular and also went by the name of the “Italian Lottery” or “Numbers Racket.” Essentially it was an illegal lottery that became popular during the 1920s and 1930s. The betting range started low at just one penny. Meaning that most of the players were either poor or from working-class neighbourhoods. Many independent bookmakers were able to capitalize on this game, as there were no jackpot winning strategies you might find in more modern games. For example at an online casino like 22Bet Casino.

But over time, the Bronx mob boss, Dutch Schultz, forced virtually every bookmaker to work for him. Obviously, this was much better than losing your business altogether. Or receiving a visit in the middle of the night from large guys carrying baseball bats. Not really the best lottery to play if you value your knee caps. Having said that, the only female numbers runner in the whole of Harlem was called Stephanie St Clair, and she refused to fall under Schultz’s thumb.

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The Queen Of Numbers

By now Bumpy Johnson had a reputation as a brutal bodyguard. As such, he attracted Stephanie St Clair’s attention and helped him wage war against one of the most prominent crime bosses in New York. Johnson’s wife would claim that Bumpy Johnson waged a type of guerrilla war and picked off Schultz’s men, one by one. But Schultz’s ends came in 1935 when Charles “Lucky” Luciano ordered a hit on him. With a lot of heat coming down on Harlem from law enforcement, thanks to this assassination, then St Clair decided to lay low. In fact, she got out of the illegal jackpot games business completely, and handed her operation, lock, stock, and barrel, over to Johnson. During his time working with St Clair, which began in 1932, it’s generally reckoned that bumpy kidnapped and murdered over 40 people.

Bumpy Johnson Mollifying The Mafia

Luciano had for many years been the number one racketeer operating across the city of New York. That’s such he was feeling Schultz breathing down his neck with his efforts to take over the criminal businesses. Now with Schultz dead, Luciano reached out to Bumpy Johnson and the two of them formed an alliance. The deal was that Johnson could run Harlem in peace providing he gave a share of the profits to Luciano. The main effect of this business venture was that the Mafia War, which had gone on for years over the numbers games, was finally over.

Many residents of Harlem noted that this represents the first time a black man has stood up to a white mob. So it was unsurprising that Johnson became a revered figurehead in Harlem. You have to remember that this was during a period of extreme racism. Bumpy represented someone who had stood up for his community and, more importantly, had won.

Expanding The Business

The deal with Luciana made Johnson the main operator of casino games across the whole of Harlem. But rather than standing still, Johnson immediately got into the drugs trade and started selling heroin. As the business grew, so too did the size of Bumpy’s gang. And it wasn’t long before massive profits were rolling in. Like the modern Genovese family of today. But Bumpy Johnson never forgot his roots. He became known for providing for the most vulnerable in Harlem. He would deliver gifts, meals, and free turkeys at Christmas. And also helped put the children of families with financial difficulties through college. As such, Bumpies activities were a complex double-sided coin. On the one hand, we have a murderous crime boss. And on the other, a philanthropic Robin Hood type character.

Bumpy Johnson Doing Time In Alcatraz

Johnson had been in and out of prison throughout his career. And 1952, he landed a 15-year sentence. For this, he was sent to the famous prison island of Alcatraz. There he served10 years of his total sentence. Interestingly enough, some say that he used his organisation to help three inmates escape. Many theorize that he himself could have escaped. But for some reason, he preferred to live a quiet life in prison. When he came out to Alcatraz, Harlem welcomed him back with a huge parade with a carnival-like atmosphere. Unfortunately, during his years away, the Italian Mafia had overrun the narcotics business in his native Harlem. Apparently, his own daughter Elise fell into heroin addiction. And it was this that inspired him to step away from the illegal drug industry and try and rehabilitate the neighbourhood.

How Did Bumpy Johnson Die?

In spite of a long career as a mob boss and cold-hearted killer, Bumby Johnson died in a pretty unclimactic way. He had a heart attack. In spite of the many efforts from other drug bosses and Mafia gangsters to kill him off, in the end, it was cholesterol that did the job. Now head over to 22Bet Casino to check out their games as well as their great welcome bonus of 122% up to €300! This will help increase your chances to win the jackpot online, allowing you to also live like a boss!