Corey Dickson

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Corey Taylor Dickson (born October 31, 1879 in Harlem, New York) was an American blackface and minstrel acts performer.

[edit] Biography

At age 12, Corey ran away from his home in Harlem and joined the Ringling Brothers Circus. He worked as a stablehand, caring after elephants and other circus animals until age 18.

After some time, Dickson came back to Harlem to work as a blackface and minstrel in Johnson's Theatre. He was successful as an actor and always succeeded to draw a crowd with standup comedy and juggling acts.

During a show one evening in 1902, a drunkard lept onstage and stabbed Corey with a knife in the left leg in a fit of inebreiated rage. Due to bloodloss, he would have the leg amputated later that night.

In March 1923, Dickson opened his own tavern to act as a speakeasy during the United States Prohibition. The tavern was used by organized crime mobsters to conduct business deals, and was constantly raided by local police.

He died on April 12, 1931 when an unknown arsonist set fire to the tavern while Dickson was asleep upstairs.