HELP!!!!!! I NEED INFO ON: BLACKS (AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND OTHERS) MAGIC

[Guest]

HI THIS IS STUART MISHORY FROM
MSQM- PMDC- PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN'S DEVOLOPMENT CENTER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF PROFESSIONAL MAGICIANS AND THE ADVANCERMENT OF MAGICAL ARTS. I'M DOING RESEARCH ON THE HISTORY OF BLACKS (AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND OTHERS) IN MAGIC. I DECIDED ON THIS TOPIC BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED IN MINORITY'S AND THE HARDSHIPS THEY FACE. (BY THE WAY, THE SEPTEMBER 2001 ISSUE OF GENII ON LITTLE PEOPLE IN MAGIC WAS VERY INTERESTING) I STARTED DOING MAGIC AS A YOUNG CHILD, AND I FACED MANY, MANY HARDSHIPS IN TRYING TO PERFORM, BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS SLAPPED WITH THE STEROTYPE OF "OH, HE'S A KID, HOW GOOD CAN HE BE?" WELL, I DEVOLOPED MY SHOW, AND WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME THIS STERIOTYPE (PLUS IT DIDN'T HELP THAT I WAS ONLY 4'8" WHEN I WAS PERFORMING AT AGE 12), THEREFOR, I'M INTERESTED IN THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE OVERCAME, OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF OVERCOMMING STERIOTYPES IN MAGIC. ALTHOUTH I'M INTERESTED IN ALL PEOPLE IN MAGIC WITH THIS PROBLEM, THIS TIME I'M INTERESTED SPECIFFICALLY IN BLACKS. (ALTHOUGH I'M ONLY INTERESTED IN BLACKS THIS TIME, PLEASE ALSO RESPON IF YOU HAVE INFO ON OTHER MINORITIES IN MAGIC) I KNOW OF TWO WELL KNOW BLACK MAGICIANS, CHRIS CAPART (HIS RING ROUTINE IS PHONOMINAL, AS ARE HIS LECTURES), AND CHARLES GREENE, WHO WAS COVERED IN A GENII ISSUE. IF ANYONE HAS INFO, PLEASE HELP ME. AND DIRECTED TO MR. KAUFMAN, IF THERE IS ANY MATERIAL, NO MATTER HOW SMALL IN A GENII ISSUE, CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME LOCATE IT. THANKS ALOT, KEEP THE MAGIC ALIVE,
STU
MSQM- PMDC (STUART MISHORY)

PHONE: 1-(201)-836-3863

E-MAIL: magic_stu@hotmail.com

[ January 22, 2002: Message edited by: MSQM- STUART MISHORY ]

[Guest]

Two who pop to mind immediately are Frank Brents (search for Monday Night Magic on the internet) and Hiawatha. Good luck! --Asrah

[Dustin Stinett]

Add Goldfinger (& Dove, of course).

Their website is still under construction, but you may want to keep checking back:
http://www.geocities.com/goldfingeranddove/

You can also email them from that site. Goldfinger is a VERY nice man and would probably be happy to help you if he is able.

[ January 21, 2002: Message edited by: Dustin Stinett ]

[Lisa Cousins]

Hi, Stu,

"Conjure Times" by Jim Haskins is an interesting book on this topic. It's aimed at a young audience, and I've noticed a few factual errors in it, but it's the best "all in one place" resource I've come across on this theme. Charles Greene is prominently featured.

Best of luck,

Lisa

[Brian Morton]

Hi, Stuart,

I've never heard of your organization, but I'm happy to hear about anyone who is interested in the subject of black people working professionally in magic.

Just a short list of people I know of or have met:

Bill Gross -- close-up worker from Baltimore

Puck -- bird worker predominantly, but also all around magician, assists Denny Haney of Denny & Lee. Baltimore.

Kenrick "Ice" McDonald -- bird worker from L.A.

Charles Greene III (you know already) - corporate trade show magician, D.C.

Frank Brent (you know already) -- all-around performer, Monday Night Magic, NYC

Eric Anderson -- close-up, street performer, Atlanta

Randy Shine -- close-up, stage performer, Philadelphia

Goldfinger & Dove (Jack Goldfinger, & his Asian wife, Dove) -- stage act, L.A.

Phelston Jones -- stage act (did a fire act in "World's Greatest Magic" -- Vegas (I think...)

Earl "Presto" Johnson -- NYC legend

For some reason (most likely the fact that I'm actually having to _think_ about this), I can't think of any more, although I'm sure I recall haveing come up with about 30 names at one point offhand.

I hope that gets you started.

brian
:cool:
www.liesofbrian.com
(and someone who's actually a black person himself, which really surprised his mom at the time...)

[Guest]

Hi Stuart,

You may want to get in touch with Samual Patrick Smith out of Tavares, Florida- www.spsmagic.com/. He built his self-marketing system on the hard work of now deceased Fetaque Sanders, a black magician during the 30's and 40's. Just go to his site and shoot him an e-mail. I'm sure he will give you much information on Fetaque.

Also, look up young magician Eric Redman- featured in Genii Vol 64, #3 (March 2001) Lance Burton's Young Magicians Showcase, in an article covering the televised show of same. Apparently Eric is from Alexandria, Virginia but could be anywhere in the world; so he may be hard to get a hold of.

And who is the "close-up" guy in Copperfield's current show? He was introduced as "Crystal" and was instrumental during the "bizzarre/ spook" sequence.

And don't forget The Smooth Magic of Victor & Diamond. (No available website that I know of, but a fax # (702) 645-1012.

Hope this helps!

[ January 21, 2002: Message edited by: Steve Spicer ]

[ January 21, 2002: Message edited by: Steve Spicer ]

[Pete Biro]

First of all, turn off your caps lock key.

Second, write short paragraphs with space.

If it is difficult to read, many will just NOT READ YOUR STUFF.

Regarding blacks in magic.

Ray Boston is one fine close up worker. I don't have a contact anymore, but am sure someone can help.

Now...

Emile Clifton. His name was in the current Genii, and I bet almost no one knows of him.

He was listed as the "staff artist" in the Magicana story. Interestingly, Steve Shepherd, who was written about in that article was the first magician I remember ever seeing as a youth.

Back to Clifton. He was my mentor, my acting coach, performing coach, critic and inspiration.

He died too young of cancer.

He lived in the San Francisco area most of his life, until near the end he moved to Los Angeles.

He was a fine magician, inventor, performer, actor.

What few knew was that he was a decorated hero in WWII, as one of the famous Tuskeegee Airmen.

Emile was a humble man, never mentioning that to any of his friends, and only after his death did the information come out.

He also created the best laydown I've ever seen for the MacDonald Aces.

He refused to perform for magic clubs, and after considerable prodding, he finally told me why.

"I registered for the IBM Convention, and was at the event when a group of the 'brotherhood' came up to me, took my badge away and told me 'we don't allow N******S at our convention."

I got to tell you, it was the convention's loss not having Clifton there.

[Guest]

Thank you all very much, all this info will really help me in my quest for knowledge on this topic.

Also, Pete thank you very much for all your info about the Black magicians, and for your advice on post appearence (as you can see, I am already using it).

Pete-
About Clifton, does he have a wife or any relatives i could talk to/ interview about him?????? Second, what was said to him at the IBM convention? "we don't allow N******S at our convention." What was the word that started with "N" and ended with "S"? The weird censor software "Genii Forum" is using censored half of the word (just like it did in your WMS post, with was outstanding!!!!!!), and i couldn't figure out what it was (no coincidence I'm so bad at figuring out the words to cross-word puzzle clues).

Anyway, if you could tell me what the word was, I would be most appreshiative (when you type it, just put "-" between the letters so the word doesn't get censored again)

Thank you all again for all your help, and PLEASE, if you have any more info, please write it up on the forum or e-mail (magic_stu@hotmail.com) it to me, or call
( 1-(201)-836-3863) me with the info.

THANKS AGAIN

KEEP THE MAGIC ALIVE,

MSQM (STUART MISHORY)

PHONE: 1-(201)-836-3863

E-MAIL: magic_stu@hotmail.com

[Guest]

Stu,

Go to www.amazon.com and plug-in author and Havard law Prof. "Randall Kennedy". A recently published book by same will pop-up and answer your question.

Magically Yours,

Steve

[Guest]

Hi, thank you all again for the help!!!! This project is really going to turn out great thanks to all of you.

Steve-
I had some trouble when I got to amazon.com, what is the name of the book?????

Thanks again,
KEEP THE MAGIC ALIVE,

PHONE: 1-(201)-836-3863

E-MAIL: magic_stu@hotmail.com

MSQM-PMDC (STUART MISHORY)

[Pete Biro]

N*****S = a redneck pronunciation of Negro.

Bad joke: We have a horse with Chiggers, but today we have to call 'em Chegroes.

Get it?

[Guest]

Thanks

Pete-
Cool joke (well sort of)
anyway, thank you for the clarification, would you mind if I put that word in my project? I figures that was what the word was, but I wanted to just check, since the project will be written can you give me the exact spelling of the word, (just put a hyphen between the letters so the censer software won't * it.

THANKS ALOT,
THE MAGIC ALIVE,
STU
MSQM- PMDC (STUART MISHORY)
PHONE: 1-(201)-836-3863

E-MAIL: magic_stu@hotmail.com

[Allan Kronzek]

Jim Magus's book "Magical Heroes - The Lives and Legends of Great African American Magicians" is devoted entirely to this subject. It begins with a history of black-American performers from the early 1800s and takes us through 1995, when the book was published.

I bought a copy several years ago from Dan Garrett. Perhaps Dan knows where to get a hold of one. http://members.aol.com/dangarrett/

There's a brief review of the book by Gary Hunt on Magic Past-Times at http://www.uelectric.com/pastimes/magus.htm

[Guest]

hERE'S YOUR SPELLING sTU,

nO iNSIGHT gETS gUYS eVENTUALLY rEAR-ENDED.

Over & Out

[Richard Kaufman]

All right you boneheads! We all know the damn word that Stu wants to see written--what I can't understand is why he NEEDS to see it written! He knows what it is!
So, cut it out!
Anyone who posts ANY word that is offensive by using dashes between the letters gets tossed off the forum. Gone. Period. No discussion.
Stu, I'm glad to see that you've gotten the message about not using all capital letters. Now please reread your message before posting it! I can't believe your spelling and punctuation can be so sloppy if you are writing an article on this subject!
Are you also aware that there is a book on the subject of African American magicians by Jim Magus?
And, for anyone else reading this, we all know Emile Clifton because of his wonderful ring on rope move which Earl Nelson published (with credit) in "Variations."
Pete: would you contribute Clifton's "McDonald Ace" laydown to Genii?

[Pete Biro]

Sure. Emile's is so gooooood... altho my favorite (now) I really (also) like the one you had not long ago using the SLOP SHUFFLE.

I'll work it up this weekend if I can squeeze the time...

[Guest]

Thanks again for all your help, it's really helping me ALOT.

Richard, I was not trying to be offensive by having someone spell the word, I just wantted to know the exact spelling. Also, when I write articles, my spelling and punctuation isn't this bad, I was just typing my post really fast and I loused up some of the words. SORRY :(

THANKS AGAIN,

KEEP THE MAGIC ALIVE,

MSQM (STUART MISHORY)

PHONE: 1-(201)-836-3863

E-MAIL: magic_stu@hotmail.com

[Matthew Field]

Stuart -- another book that may be of interest is "Conjure Times -- Black Magicians in America" by Jim Haskins and Kathleen Benson published in 2001 by Walker & Co., New York. ISBN 0-8027-8762-2. It's aimed at a general interest teenager readership but has quite a bit of information.

Matt Field

[George Olson]

Check out "going, going, gone.." on e-Bay. There is a collection of "black history items" up now.