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Bert Williams (November 12, 1875 -  March 4, 1922)
was the pre-eminent African American entertainer
of his era.

Williams was born Egbert Austin Williams on the
island of Antigua, then part of the United
Kingdom|British West Indies. In 1888 his family
moved to Los Angeles, California. He began his
entertainment career in 1892 in San Francisco,
California|San Francisco.

Bert Williams became one of Vaudeville's top
artists, both as a solo performer and as part of
the successful double-act "Williams & Walker" with
partner George Walker (vaudeville)|George Walker.
Together they popularized the Cakewalk. Williams
was also famous for his performances in blackface.
After Walker's death he for some years performed
with Eddie Cantor.

Bert Williams was a key figure in the development
of African American music. In an age when racial
inequality and stereotyping were an 'accepted'
part of life, he became the first black American
to take a lead role on the Broadway stage, and did
much to push back the racial barriers during his
career. His songs (mostly self-written and
displaying a dry wit and observational humour)
such as "Nobody" and "All Going Out And Nothing
Coming In" proved popular with audiences of all
races, paving the way for future generations of
black artists. Fellow vaudevillian W.C. Fields
described Williams as "the funniest man I ever
knew—and the saddest."

Williams collapsed on stage on February 25, 1922
whilst singing "Under The Bamboo Tree". He died a
week later in hospital.

Williams acted in some silent film shorts and made
a series of audio recordings for Columbia Records,
both on phonograph cylinders and gramophone
record|disc records.  The Archeophone label has
collected and released all of Williams' recordings
on three CDs.

== Quotes about Bert Williams ==
* "He has done more for our race than I have. He
has smiled his way into people's hearts; I have
been obliged to fight my way." -- Booker T.
Washington