In 1783 in Hopkinton, Massachusetts Richard Potter was born. He was to become the first American-born magician to tour the United States, and yes, he was black. He was also the first American-born ventriloquist.
Okay, stop laughing; yes, there really are black ventriloquists! The most well-known of recent times has been Willie Tyler and Lester. Willie Tyler was born in 1940, and got his first big break on the show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.
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| Broadbill for Mr. Potter |
As good as Willie Tyler and Lester are though, in my opinion they don't hold a candle to Mr. Richard Potter. This is a playbill (also called a "broadbill") for one of Potter's performances. Notice the phrase “to give an Evening’s Brush to Sweep away care.” ( Now that sounds like a date!!! ) Besides ventriloquism, Richard Potter performed many different tricks; as this playbill describes it "100 curious but mysterious experiments with cards, eggs, money, etc." The book "Conjure Times: The History of Black Magicians in America" written by James Haskins and Kathleen Benson in 2001 details some of the tricks performed by Richard Potter:
"Mr. Potter will perform the part of the anti-combustible Man
Salamander [a mythical combination of human and reptile] and will pass a red
hot bar of iron over his tongue, draw it through his hands repeatedly, and
afterwards bend it into various shapes with his naked feet, as a smith would on
an anvil. He will also immerse his hands and feet in molten lead, and pass his
naked feet and arms over a large body of fire. He will also perform a variety
of pleasing magical deceptions; which, to give a minute detail of, would fill a
volume. The performer, not being willing to anticipate the pleasure the
audience may receive from his performance, flatters himself that he is so well
known in different parts of this country, as not to require the aid of a pompous
advertisement. In addition to his magical and ventriloquist talents, he will
introduce a number of songs and recitations."
Also from the book:
"Other examples of Potter’s tricks, included: frying eggs in a beaver hat; thrusting a sword down his
throat and drawing out yards of multicolored ribbons, then spitting out sparks
and flames; appearing to swallow molten lead, using a special mixture of lead,
bismuth, and block tin.”
To me he sounds more like David Copperfield than Willie Tyler!! He was a great magician for the times though, and a great ventriloquist.
Richard Potter died at age 52 on Sept. 20, 1835.
For more information:
From The Root: 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro
Written By: Henry Louis Gates Jr.
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