(November 12th 1874 - March 4th 1922)

Among the greatest of all Vaudeville comedians Egbert Williams was the first black entertainer to appear as a lead on the Broadway stage with an otherwise white cast. Remembered as "The World's Funniest Man" he appeared in black-face but did much to push aside common racial stereotypes through his clever use of satire. W.C. Fields, a fellow comedian who knew him well, later described Williams as "the funniest man I ever saw – and the saddest man I ever knew.