Bumpy Johnson

About

Ellsworth Raymond “Bumpy” Johnson (October 31, 1905 – July 7, 1968) was an American crime boss in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.

Ellsworth Raymond “Bumpy” Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 31, 1905, to Margaret Moultrie and William Johnson. When he was 10, his older brother Willie was accused of killing a white man. Afraid of a possible lynch mob, his parents mortgaged their tiny home to raise money to send Willie up north to live with relatives. Johnson’s nickname “Bumpy” is derived from a bump on the back of his head.
As Johnson grew older, his parents worried about his short temper and insolence toward white people, and, in 1919, he was sent to live with his older sister Mabel in Harlem. Johnson dropped out of high school and began working in casual jobs. Gangster William Hewett noticed Johnson, who began working for him.

Johnson became an associate and enforcer for numbers queen Madame Stephanie St. Clair. In the 1930s, he quickly climbed the ranks to become her most trusted soldier. St. Clair incited a war with rival mob boss Dutch Schultz for control of Harlem’s rackets. The war resulted in more than 40 murders…