Bert Williams

Bert Williams was simple and kind, many liked him. He was also one of the best comedians of his time. "The funniest man I ever saw," was how one fellow comedian described Bert.

Born in Nassau, The Bahamas, in 1874, Bert moved to Florida with his family at eleven and California a year later, where they settled. After high school, he went to college at Stanford, where he studied engineering. But needing to support himself financially, Bert began performing in minstrel shows to earn funds. This would mark the beginning of a lifetime in show business.

Pairing up with a fellow performer, the troupe sang and danced, performed skits, exchanged comedic dialogue. They slowly grew in stature, until coming into much fame with their musical, In Dahomey, in 1902. The popular show went global, taking them to Buckingham Palace for a performance. The pair would work together until 1911, when Bert's partner passed away.

Bert continued to perform, always doing his best to please a crowd. His last performance came during a time of illness. Feeling so weak that he needed help to dress, Bert still went out for his role. He collapsed during his performance and soon after passed away at forty-seven.

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Sources: Sources: Hill, Errol, and Hatch, James V.. A history of African American theatre. United Kingdom, Cambridge University Press, 2003. / "TCS 1.1120, Harvard Theatre Collection, Harvard University" / Let It Resound / Wikimedia Commons