BOLDLY INSCRIBED BY SAMMY DAVIS, JR.

DAVIS, Sammy, Jr. and BOYAR, Jane and Burt. Yes I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis, Jr. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, (1965). Octavo, original black cloth, original dust jacket. $1100.

First edition of Davis’ autobiography, boldly inscribed: "All my BEST Sammy Davis Jr."

"Davis was a pioneer for African Americans in the entertainment field. He not only danced and sang, he also played bass, trumpet, vibraphone, piano and percussion. He broke color barriers on the stage early in his career, and he challenged the restrictions on African Americans to be in the audience in places where he performed. His life told a story of persecution— at times intense— by white Americans who refused to accept him as their equal despite his immense talent and self-taught genius. Yet he never became bitter. He believed throughout his lifetime that if he worked hard enough and proved himself to others through his talent, that he could transcend racial prejudice. To a significant extent he did" (ANB). In this book, Davis and his co-authors tell the story of his life and career in a novelistic, dialogue-driven style. Illustrated with 24 pages of photographs. Blockson 7539. Brignano 60. Bookplate.

Book with light rubbing mainly to extremities. Dust jacket with only slight soiling. A near-fine inscribed copy.