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Image / House of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, designed by Paul Williams, circa 1943

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Title
House of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, designed by Paul Williams, circa 1943
Alternative Title
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, tap dancer and actor
Contributor
Williams, Paul R., 1894-1980
Date Created and/or Issued
[circa 1943]
1943
Contributing Institution
UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library
Collection
Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
Rights Information
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Description
Exterior view of the 2-story house of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, designed by Paul Williams, shortly after it was finished. The house is located at 1194 West 36th Place.
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was an African American tap dancer and actor, and he was one of the best known and most highly paid African-American entertainer in the first half of the twentieth century. His long career mirrored changes in American entertainment tastes and technology. In 1989, the U.S. Congress designated May 25, Robinson's birthday, as National Tap Dance Day.
Paul Williams was an African American architect who designed almost 2,000 homes in the Los Angeles area. He worked for wealthy celebrity clients, but also designed affordable homes, public housing, and civic, commercial, and institutional buildings. His works exhibit elegant composition and perfect proportion.
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b22_f05_002.tif
ark:/21198/z1tm8vbd
Subject
African American actors
Tap dancers
Dwellings
Robinson, Bill, 1878-1949
Source
Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
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