by Dylan Becker

Dylan Becker is a Biology (Pre-Med) major from Mars, Pennsylvania, who wrote this essay in Timothy Bradford’s Fall 2020 “From Spirituals to Hip-Hop” course.

In 2016, Kanye West shocked the world by donning a MAGA hat and publicly supporting the very controversial President Donald Trump. This show of support was seen as problematic by much of popular culture and most African Americans as that President stood for racial and social opinions that an African American man was supposed to oppose. Kanye West has built his brand upon seemingly radical ideas, like supporting President Trump, that are the opposite of societal norms for a man of his race and position, much like another Black entertainer who supported President Nixon. That man is Sammy Davis Jr. This legendary entertainer overcame all the possible obstacles that came with being, as he described himself, “a one-eyed Negro Jew” (qtd. in Golomb). A man of many improbable situations, Davis even had to choose between having the support of President Kennedy or the notoriously racist Italian mob. Never one for authority figures, Sammy Davis Jr. chose to side with the mob over keeping his political ties, so as to continue to have the support of everyday working people. That move emulated what Davis often did throughout his career: making a controversial decision to keep true to himself or do whatever would keep him alive. His race, religion, and political ideas did lead to pushback from various other cultural groups, while also causing him to be depicted as a race traitor by some of the Black community. However, Sammy Davis Jr.’s unique upbringing and infectious personality granted him a charismatic, varied style in his performances and a strong social circle, which allowed for him to succeed with all audience types.

Sammy Davis Jr.’s life, which lasted from 1925 to 1990, spanned almost all the different experiences that were then available to a Black entertainer. He began his long career at age 3 when he began to do vaudeville turns with his father, which is where he developed into an immensely talented dancer. He had such talent that by the age of 8 he was receiving the same billing as his father. Davis knew he was talented at that age, but refused to jump into this because “The colored acts were the last hired and the first fired” (qtd. in Rosen). Despite racial discrimination, Davis’s father shielded him from racism, often explaining that such remarks were made “out of jealousy”; it wasn’t until Davis was drafted into the army that he first experienced this problem “head on” (Rosen). In the army, Davis endured numerous racist incidents during basic training, which resulted in his being transferred into the Army’s Special Services. In the Special Services, Davis performed for his fellow soldiers and saw his effect on them. He realized that his performances caused hate to melt away and that his talent was “the way [for me] to fight” (qtd. in Rosen).

After his discharge in 1945, Davis’s career began to take off, but that did not mean the struggles in his life would end. He would lose his left eye in 1954 to a car accident, but this accident would also lead Davis to one thing that “gave him solace:” Judaism (Rosen). Much like most things in his life, Sammy Davis would still face considerable backlash for his conversion to Judaism in 1961. Despite these issues, Davis managed to find support within the legendary Rat Pack. As a member of the Rat pack, he would continue to find work, keep his influence when campaigning for Civil Rights, and just be himself. Sammy Davis Jr.’s life can be summarized as one of stubborn ideas and beliefs that created a controversial, larger-than-life man.

Davis’s fame did not shield him from Jim Crow Laws or the widespread segregation of the time. He was often invited to perform at hotels that subsequently “refused him entry into their restaurants or rooms” (Davis 36). Sadly, these were not the worst of the racist ordeals that Davis had to endure: he often faced the extremes of racism due to his association with white entertainers and his outgoing personality. In fact, there was a point in his career where Davis could not go outside without “Policemen and private detectives having to guard him every minute,” due in part to the constant threat of fascist and Nazi groups that would picket theatres he appeared at (Early 244). The deadliest threats Davis received were the nearly constant anonymous phone calls that threatened “to bomb the night club, or to bomb the home” where Davis was (Early 245). One of the most traumatic racist events he experienced, in Davis’s opinion, was when he was rejected from performing in President John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Gala, even though there were other Black artists performing. Gerald Early said that Davis was blacklisted because of his marriage to a white woman, which politicians thought “was a little too controversial for the time” (Early 98). That incident wounded Davis deeply because he had initially admired Kennedy, whose rejection marked him unfit for any political event and, for a time, made it harder for Davis to find work. Thus, besides the widespread racist acts Davis suffered through during his life, his life decision also brought a great deal of pain upon him.

During this era, it would not seem surprising that Sammy Davis faced racism from white people; what is surprising is that he also faced an unexpectedly large amount of backlash from the African American community. Davis was consistently called a race traitor by some within that community because they thought he sought the approval of the white community and would do so by, “[fighting] hard against aspects of the black entertainment world that had nurtured him” (Nekola and Kirkpatrick 17). Some African Americans claimed that Davis had culturally appropriated from the African American community and that he was no longer a true member of their culture because he crafted his performances for white audiences. More progressive groups of African Americans even claimed that Davis tried to play into racial stereotypes “to please white audiences” (Nekola and Kirkpatrick 18). Some of those progressive groups also thought that Davis only tried to appear Black when it best suited his situation. For instance, Davis would often tell a story about “a childhood friend who was killed after getting into unspecified trouble” when he felt a story about overcoming violence and escaping “serious trouble” was necessary to relate to an audience of mostly young, Black men (Nekola and Kirkpatrick 20). Therefore, that part of the African American community believed that Davis only wanted to be Black when it was favorable for him rather than living out the idea of being a Black man in America.

Davis also faced considerable criticism for his conversion to Judaism. He tried to say that his conversion to Judaism “made sense” and that it was “compelling” that both the African American and Jewish communities had faced considerable amounts of oppression (qtd. in Davis 45). However, many critics blasted this as “ignorance” and said he was attempting to exchange one struggle for another in order to identify with even more of America. The same African Americans who claimed that Davis was a race traitor now had more evidence, in their eyes, to argue that Davis was trying to distance himself more from Black culture to gain more success. Many said that he should “realize that he is a Negro” and begin to act as one if he wanted to be accepted by the community (Davis 41).

The Jewish community seemed to be mostly confused by Davis’s conversion rather than displeased with him. After World War II, many rabbis could not “articulate what exactly a non-Jew could do to become a full-fledged Jew” because much of the Jewish community’s infrastructure had been destroyed (Davis 39). This, along with a large influx of people wanting to convert, left many rabbis with little guidance, so they began to set their own guidelines with great variation. This confusion enabled Sammy Davis to disappear into the hospital after a car accident and emerge a man “destined to become a Jew” (Davis 25). Many within the Jewish community were put off put by Davis’s surprising announcement of conversion when he reappeared in the public eye claiming to be “fully converted to Judaism” (Birkbeck 38). This confusing and swift conversion led some of the Jewish community to see Davis as a trend follower, rather than a true believer.

The final thing on the long list of issues with which Sammy Davis Jr. had to contend were the many political conflicts that appeared in his life. Davis was a man who believed in his own political ideas, much like Kanye West would years later. Like West, he did not conform to any conventional schools of thought, so many of his beliefs were seen as very controversial. One of the more controversial political decisions that Davis made was publicly supporting President Richard Nixon. He even worked on Nixon’s National Advisory Council on Economic Opportunity. Although Nixon actually listened to Davis’s suggestions and even “implemented ten of his proposals,” many African Americans viewed Nixon’s efforts as a “token” to win Black votes (Raymond 56). But, being a man of steadfast beliefs, Davis would not back down in his support of the president and would go so far as to hug Nixon at the Republican National Convention. This outraged many Black Americans, who claimed that Davis was once again an “Uncle Tom” (Birkbeck 41). However, he would quickly go from being “vilified” for hugging Nixon to being praised for “listening intently” to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the March on Washington (Birkbeck 39, 41). Thus, Davis remained confused as ever about what people wanted from him. He was a man who was simply following his own beliefs, rather than the ones others assigned to him. Many people despised him for that.

Davis’s most puzzling and controversial political endeavors involved the Italian mob and President John F. Kennedy. Davis greatly admired President Kennedy, but sadly, that admiration was not reciprocated as Kennedy decided that Davis was too “controversial” (Early 98). He cut Davis off as he tried to stay in favor with the majority of American voters, middle-class white Americans. Davis “was crushed” by this rejection, which may have influenced his future decisions involving the Italian Mafia (Early 98). Sammy Davis first came in contact with the Mafia through his connections in the Rat Pack. The Mafia admired his talent, which was unusual due the racism of its members. Nevertheless, this did not mean Davis would be free from the threat of Mafia-related violence. For example, the Mafia viewed Davis’s and the Rat Pack’s initial support of Kennedy as a threat because of Kennedy’s anti-Mafia policies. So, as punishment and a reassurance of loyalty, the Chicago Mafia forced the group to play for free in their clubs or face the consequences (Early). In perhaps the most dangerous situation of his life, the mob kidnapped Sammy Davis for marrying a white woman, Kim Novak, and forced him to marry a Black woman, Loray White, so that Davis could “make amends” (Birkbeck 38). However, the Mafia also viewed Davis favorably enough to allow him to perform in segregated clubs and provide him with bodyguards. Unsurprisingly, having a stronger relationship with the Italian Mafia than he did with a well-liked president led to many people questioning Davis’s character, and some writing him off altogether.

So, how does one man overcome racial injustice from both sides, attacks on his religious identity, and looming threats from the Italian mob? Sammy Davis Jr. did one thing: acquire an extremely different performance style. Davis’s chameleon-like performance style enabled him to always be the best entertainer in the room, flourishing as a performer who “mimics” and pleases multiple audiences. This people-pleaser identity is the key to understanding the multiple contradictions in his social, racial, and political life.

His song, “Old Black Magic,” displays just that by mixing many different styles of music. The song opens with the sounds of a traditional big band playing unaccompanied for a few seconds with the drums and trumpets being the most prominent instruments. Then Davis enters the song with a shout followed by the smooth and soft lyrics that typify the crooner sound of the time. Davis sings in that low, smooth tone with saxophone and piano accompaniment until about a minute into the song when he begins to show off his vocal range. Davis raises his voice to a shouting tone and then sings with a growl, creating a bluesy feeling. After switching between that bluesy style and the soft crooning, in the final minute of the song Davis sings in a pop, swing style, louder and with more powerfully sung lyrics. The song concludes with a verse that Davis specifically added for comedy: he sings this in a high-pitched voice, as if black magic itself is calling out. This performance allowed him to appeal to an older, more African American blues crowd, a white upper class audience who preferred the vocal control of crooners, and the working class crowd searching for the easy listening of pop and comedic music.

The song’s relationship to love is undeniable: it constantly speaks of a “lover” and the desire for a “kiss” (Davis). But Davis still manages to include some humor as he cites a common western show transition, “meanwhile back at the ranch” before actually singing the final line (Davis). Perhaps the “old black magic” of the song’s title is not only the allure of a woman to a man, but also the fundamental idea of what made Sammy Davis so popular, despite all the criticism he faced (Davis). Davis had such a magic and wonder in his performances and personality that people could not help but like him. He knew he was a talented singer and comedian and used the “magic” of his personality and performances to “fight” the issues he faced in his life (Rosen).

Another way that Davis attracted such a wide audience was through his ability to present an audience with what they were “accustomed to” (Raymond 45). He was able to achieve this through the use of mimicry, of which he was a master. Davis originally only mimicked Black artists like Louis Armstrong because he was mainly entertaining Black audiences, but as his star rose in the 1940s, he began to mimic white artists as well. His father feared this move would “lead to their lynching,” but instead Davis was widely praised for these new performances (Raymond 45). Through mimicry, Davis could entertain virtually any crowd with an impression of whomever the audience related to, which made an audience much more comfortable with him and his performance.

In addition to mimicry, Davis also used a style of self-deprecating humor to relate to an audience. Davis’s humor, however, was different from that of most Black comedians. He would not pander to the “colored humor” of the vaudeville genre but addressed issues of race and religion in a more modern, self-centered manner (Raymond 45). In this way, Davis could still joke with audiences of all races and religions without offending them directly. He would convince the audiences that they were laughing at him rather than at themselves, which made him much more likable in their eyes.

Perhaps Davis’s most valuable asset was his social circle, known as the Rat Pack. The Rat Pack’s deep connections and influence allowed Davis to gain access to places previously off-limits to Black performers, like the Vegas Strip, and protected him from racist “threats” that would have stopped his rise (Raymond 45). This ring of protection allowed Davis to explore heights hardly touched by other African American performers. He was able to star in movies, have his own TV show, and tour virtually anywhere due to the “clout” that was granted him by his affiliation with the Rat Pack (Raymond 49). The man who would prove most vital to Davis’s success was Frank Sinatra, the group’s leader. Sinatra would become Davis’s best friend and “protest” when Davis was not treated as his equal, which meant a lot due to Sinatra’s immense popularity and strong political ties (Early 98). Altogether, Davis’s social circle would be invaluable to his success as the protection and influence they granted him allowed him to be the real Sammy Davis Jr. in a world that often prohibited that.

Sammy Davis Jr. was truly an entertainer unlike any other. He faced hate and threats from nearly every cultural group in America, even from those that he identified with, but that did not deter him. He still went out on stage nearly every night and performed for the same people that had been hurling slurs at him just days ago. Langston Hughes best describes Davis’s mentality in “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” when he says, “If white people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, it does not matter. If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure does not matter either.” If there is one way to summarize Davis’s life it would be: Unable to escape controversy, he overcame all the odds to be his showstopping, larger-than-life self.

Works Cited

Birkbeck, Matt. Deconstructing Sammy : Music, Money, Madness, and the Mob / Matt Birkbeck. New York : Amistad/HarperCollins Pub., 2008.

Davis, Rebecca L. “”These are a Swinging Bunch of People”: Sammy Davis, Jr., Religious Conversion, and the Color of Jewish Ethnicity.” American Jewish History, vol. 100, no. 1, 2016, pp. 25-50,168. ProQuest, https://doi.org/10.1353/ajh.2016.0016.

Davis, Sammy. “That Old Black Magic.” Spotify, 1 Jan. 1995, open.spotify.com/track/5hDHRL7TOpSm1hJlfkPUve?si=R-_h8-VvTJCv7B-WxP21oQ.

Early, Gerald Lyn. The Sammy Davis, Jr., Reader. Edited and with an Introduction by Gerald Early. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001.

Golomb, Robert. “Sammy Davis Jr.: The Untold Story of the Great Entertainer .” Parkchester Times, 6 Mar. 2019, parkchestertimes.com/sammy-davis-jr-the-untold-story-of-the-great-entertainer.

Hughes, Langston. “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain.” The Nation, vol. 300, no. 14, 2015, p. 83.

Nekola, Anna, and Bill Kirkpatrick. “Cultural Policy in American Music History: Sammy Davis, Jr., vs. Juvenile Delinquency.” Journal of the Society for American Music, vol. 4, no. 1, 2010, pp. 33–58, doi:10.1017/s1752196309990824.

Raymond, Emilie. “Sammy Davis, Jr: Public Image and Politics.” Cultural History, vol. 4, no. 1, 2015, pp. 42–63, doi:10.3366/cult.2015.0083.

Rosen, Marjorie. “The Entertainer.” PEOPLE.com, people.com/archive/cover-story-the-entertainer-vol-33-no-21/.