By Taki S. Raton
Mike and Woody during a performance for the HAAT Luncheon. (Photo by Reynaldo Hernandez)
Just a little over 100 years ago, John W. Cooper got his first big break. At the age of twenty-nine while traveling with the Richards and Pringles Minstrels in 1902, he was recognized by the Daily Nonpariel, a leading entertainment magazine, as the best ventriloquist of that era.
According to “BlackPast.Org-Rembembered and Reclaimed,” Cooper wrote and performed his own material before mostly white audiences. “Fun in a Barber Shop” became one of his most famous acts where he portrayed six different puppet characters, each with its own voice projected by Cooper himself.
Born in 1873 in Brooklyn, New York, Cooper over his lifetime was a member of the Negro Actors Guild, the Knights of Magic, the Colored Vaudeville Benevolent Association, and the International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists.
Cooper, however, would not be the first African American ventriloquist to grace our esteemed historical corridor. Exactly 90 years earlier in 1783, Richard Potter was born and is said to be the first Black magician in the United States. Potter was known for his skills in ventriloquism, hypnosis and magic. He performed throughout New York, New England and Canada.
He was married to his wife Sally and had 3 children. This African American entertainer was the son of an English Baronet and a Black servant woman. In 1814, he moved he and his family to Andover, New Hampshire where they lived on a 175-acre farm that he purchased. He continued touring and played host in his home to lavish dinner parties.
His burial plot is recorded as still being located off of Route 4 behind the rail station in Andover. Inscribed on his stone is “In Memory of Richard Potter, the celebrated Ventriloquist. Age 52 years. Died Sept. 20, 1835.”
We all stand on the legacy of our history. And in keeping with this tradition in this our present day right here in Milwaukee is our own renowned ventriloquist Michael Robinson and his partner Woody who stand upon the stern shoulders of such accomplished exemplars as Cooper and Potter.
Robinson was born and raised in Milwaukee and is a product of Milwaukee’s elementary, middle and high schools. Although many MPS teachers may not be familiar with our own African American ventriloquist, he is certainly no stranger to our district performing for many years on the MPS elementary and middle school circuit.
His presentation is cited by the Department of Public Instruction’s Wisconsin Children’s Performance Directory as providing a “unique entertainment and enjoyment of both students and staff. Their presentation offers a skillful display of ventriloquism, tasteful humor, educationally inspiring dialogue, music, song while encouraging audience participation.”
The description notes that the purpose of their performance is to “add a touch of laughter while inspiring youngsters in a learning environment. They have an uncanny ability to capture the attention of their audience and thereby effectively convey educational messages to students in a fun-filled fashion.”
Mike and Woody would address such topics as perfect attendance, the importance of achieving good grades, respecting peers and elders, and the proper and safe behavior on the school bus. In recent years, drugs, violence, gang activity and bullying have become urgent topics which he has been asked to develop material. Feedback from principals and teachers reflect his success in tackling such issues in his ability to seize the attention of the young audience and score with each performance.
We in the community must applaud Robinson for the fine-tuning of this time honored craft and the qualitative contribution that he shares. While the media of art, music, dance and theater is comfortably and habitually familiar to us, ventriloquism is unique and requires many different skills. Because it is such a unique art form, a given audience, particular our children may be experiencing a ventriloquist for the first time.
The image of Woody requires that the viewers buys into the premise that he is speaking and in some imaginary realm, a real person. One must be led to suspend all belief that he is a puppet. Working together now for over 25 years, indeed, a Mike and Woody staging would magnetize the biggest skeptic who would be captivated into the magnetism of their performance.
“Mike and Woody have been a god-send to teachers and students on the elementary and middle school levels here in Milwaukee,” says Vickie Singh, founder and director of the Historic African American Teachers (HAAT) of Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) project.
“Over the years, Mike has created his own curriculum and tells children how wonderful they are and that their community has great and positive expectation for them,” she adds.
HAAT was established this past July to recognize and celebrate the exceptional efforts made by educators who were the earliest pioneers of African ancestry to be formally hired as teachers in the MPS system.
HAAT has sponsored monthly Saturday luncheons at Serb Hall, 5101 West Oklahoma Avenue, to honor what will be a total by this coming March of 144 African American educators and administrators who were the first to start with Milwaukee Public Schools as late as 1934. To date, HAAT has honored 44 teachers over five scheduled Serb gatherings from this past July through November.
Mike and Woody were booked on the programming for HAAT’s July 17 inaugural luncheon and will additionally join such entertainers as the reggae band KOJO and World House Music director Dr. Abe at the final March 26, 2011 Serb Hall engagement.
Citing Wisconsin Children’s Performance Directory, Michael Robinson’s performance references include Mount Horeb Library in Mt. Horeb WI., Siloah Lutheran School, 3721 N 21st Street, and Milwaukee Health Services, 8200 W Silver Spring Drive.
For booking arrangements, Robinson can be reached at (414) 933-0400, (414) 688-2995 or by email, mlr@wi.rr.com. For any additional information on HAAT, please contact Singh at (414) 551- 2107 or visit the Historic African American Teachers’ office at 1840 North Farwell.