Bojangles | History Lives in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas | Hot Springs National Park Arkansas

#HistoryLives explores the rich and often sordid history of Hot Springs, Arkansas! On May 25, 1944 the legendary tap dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, star of Vaudeville and Hollywood movies, came to Hot Springs to celebrate his 66th birthday.

Bojangles tap danced from Phillips Drive-In Cafe on Park Avenue, down Central Avenue, finally ending at the Pythian Hotel on Malvern Avenue with a crowd of 1,000 people following his lead. Bojangles tap danced nearly 2 miles through downtown Hot Springs, ending with a show to benefit the Woodmen of the Union building - a hub for cultural activities and medical care for Hot Springs' vibrant black community. In 1989, United States Congress made Bojangles birthday, May 25th, National Tap Dancing Day in honor of the late entertainer.

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