The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-13
CAKEWALKING,
OLD AND NEH---HOW 1T VAS
STARTED
By the Negroes in the Slavery
DAYS

Lots of folks have told how the cake
walk came into being, and all the tales
have been different. This is what
Proctor Knott retired champion of
this sort of fantastic pedestrianism,
says about it; and he should know.
1T goes back to slavery days long
before de wah,' was thought of" said
Proctor to a reporter the other night
You see, in those days the negroes did
not have much chance to amuse them
selves. so, when the opportunity came,
you can gamble on it they took it. Once
in a great while their masters would
give them a holiday, say around 'cohn'-
shucking time.
The slaves would gather in barn
on one of the plantations on moon
light night and some of the sports
would engage in a constructing con-
test, in which all were allowed to COM
pete. The corn was piled in the center
of the floor and the first man who
found a red ear of corn was declared
the winner AS a reward he was al
lowed to kiss the prettiest girl and
have her as his partner for the rest of
the evening. Then the floor was clear
ed and dance followed,
THE dance was a cross between a
shamble and a strut, bat it was origin
al with the negro and exceedingly fun
ny. Once in while one of the dar-
kies would try to emulate the white
dandy by walking across the floor with
| head erect and chest expanded. The
others would jeer him, but he kept on
/ walking until he got tired and sat
down. In due time the rest of the ne
| groes took the walk up.
ION all of these occasions the old
mammys would bake cakes from corn
meal placed on a layer of cabbage
leaves over hot ashes. 1t was the GUS
tom after the dance for all hands to
partake of the cake. When the walk
became popular the mammys used to
bake extra cakes as prize for the
couple making the best showing. That's
Just how the cakewalk originated.
THE genuine old Southern cakewalk
was introduced in New York in the
early seventies by colored walters who
had worked in restaurants In the
South. One who held the championship
for many ears was Tony Brown. He
was as black as Hades and was dar-
! XIV to the core. Brown was funny
fellow and when he came North and
showed folks how he could prize walk
he made hit.
Brown was a fine waiter, too. He
could hold more cups of coffee on one
arm without spilling a drop than any
man l ever saw. He got job in res
taurant on Sixth avenue and staggered
the customers by carrying 20 cups of
coffee at one time. He was "daffy' on
cakewalking, and the way he struttet!
up and down the floor was caution.
"One night at a prize walk Brown at
tempted the feat of carrying a dozen
cups of water, but came to grief neal
the close of the match. Some one
creased the floor and he slipped. The
cups and water flew in all directions
Brown was roasted by the crowd and
left town and has not been heard from
since
THE best cakewalks used to come off
at the old jefferson Market. The 'cul-
lud' swells of those days were right in
it and some fine sport was the result
Then the game switched over to Sixty
ninth street and Third avenue in tht
old American Institute Building. This
was in 1882. | was prize Walter al
the time and butted into the game by
chance.
"The employees of the old Empire
Star and Garter and Hamlet used t.
give fancy balls occasionally. In 1888
these were turned into cakeWalks. The
best walker at the time was Jim Web
ster He worked in a tailor shop, Web.
ster was a fine-looking fellow and coult
walk to beat the band. Then Dandy
Jack came along. He worked for Hon
est John Kelly. Dandy Jack bad {
large following.
after him came Polo jim Jeffer
son. jefferson was an assistant t.
Starter Caldwell at the race tracks
Jefferson gave what the Sixth avenue
sports called 'futurity' balls. A priz,
cakewak was the feature. l defeated
Dandy Jack in 1894 and in 1895, a
Madison Square Garden, lost the title
to Luke Blackburn. But I met hin
again for the worlds championship
and was victorious and have since re
: tired on my laurels, never to compete
= again.
But cakewalking amt what 1t use,
to be- The white folks have taken i
up now. When the white folks try t.
initiate the negro they are a sorry fail
, ure. They may blacken up to lool
like him, but that is all.
ITO be a good cakewallxer you've go
: to know how to hold yourself straight