Egbert Austin Williams, a trailblazing black entertainer, was born in the Bahamas but spent most of his formative years in California, nurturing his passion for show business from an early age. He teamed up with his childhood friend George Walker to form a vaudeville act that enjoyed immense success until Walker's untimely retirement and death in 1909 due to the devastating effects of syphilis.
Two years later, Williams joined the prestigious Ziegfeld Follies, where he achieved unparalleled fame as one of its star comedians until his own demise. Despite playing the then-common stereotype of the slow-witted, dialect-spouting black and having to wear burnt cork to conceal his true ethnicity, Williams managed to exude a unique elan and style that set him apart, gently mocking the various stereotypes he portrayed even as he was perpetuating them.
His recordings on American Columbia records were immense commercial successes in their time. Privately, Williams was an intelligent and articulate individual who was deeply disillusioned with a society that would applaud him on stage, yet treat him like a second-class citizen off stage. Although he resided at one of New York City's top hotels during his years in the city, he was forced to use the service elevator to access his suite rather than entering through the main entrance.
Williams's later years were marred by poor health, primarily hypertension and lung trouble, which ultimately led to his premature death at the age of 47, while he was still a headlining performer. Throughout his life, he was happily married to his wife, with whom he did not have any children but instead raised a niece and nephew.
