Mobsters in America – Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson – The Godfather of Harlem
Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson was known as a murderous policy numbers baron in Harlem during the 1930's, but he was, in fact, the conduit between the Italian Mob and the Harlem rackets for almost three decades.
Ellsworth Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina on October 31, 1905. He got the nickname "Bumpy" because he had a huge dump on the back of his head. Johnson was said to be a brilliant child, and by the time he was eight years old, he had already skipped two grades. When Johnson was ten years old, his brother Willie was accused of killing a white man. Afraid of a lynch mob for Willie, Johnson's parents sent Willie to live up north. Bumpy Johnson was a proud black man, who was defiant of the segregation and violence perpetrated on the blacks in the deep south. Johnson's parents ...