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Born on May 25, 1878 in Richmond, Virginia
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Robinson entered a buck and wing dance contest at the Bijou Theater in Brooklyn, New York winning a gold medal.
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After 1930's black stage revues waned in popularity, but Robinson remained in vogue with white audiences for more than a decade in some motion pictures produced
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Dixiana was followed by Robinson starring role in "Harlem is Heaven 1932, which sometimes gets cited as the first film with an all black cast
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Robinson played a mayor of Harlem modeled after his own ceremonial honor in "One Mile from Heaven
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in "One Mile from Heaven" he played a romantic lead opposite African American actress Fredi Washington after Hollywood had relaxed its taboo against such roles for blacks
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Robinson film debut was in the RKO Pictures 1930 musical Dixiana
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Robinson returned to the stage in "The Hot Mikado, a jazz version of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta
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Died at the age of 71 in New York City, New York on November 25, 1949
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Legacy
in 1972, a statue of "Bojangles" sculpted by Jack Witt at the intersection of Adams and West Leigh Streets was established in a small park at the intersection.