My grandfather Leon Claxton was a wealthy showman
with a lavish home on the West side of Tampa
and shiny new sedan
He was one of the first Black entertainment moguls
before Russell Simmons, Tyler Perry or P. Diddy
He rocked custom-made suits from Saskatoon
and puffed on Cuban cigars hand-rolled in Ybor City
His leading lady Gwen
was the perfect little wife
like Beyoncé to Jay-Z
a real woman in his life
and when it came to showbiz
she would compliment the deals
manage the home, the troupe, and stay fly,
and help Claxton stack his mills.
At filling stations in the South
racism hit him hard
They’d say “No gas here nigger,
unless you're driving a white man’s car!”
So, he acted like a chauffeur just to get by
because a rich Black telling lies during segregated times
was a matter of live or die.
One of Florida’s first Black Shriners
a distinguished noble of Harram 23
using secret handshakes and rituals and 33 degrees
a master of Freemasonry
Showing brotherly love
he gave to the needy
and helped to build a thriving city
I remember the motel he owned Cypress Street
His picture hung proudly by the bar
Symbolizing leadership in the Black community
Claxton took his dreams real far
With hopes to one day leave his kingdom
to an heir, a prince, a son
a legacy worth preserving
for generations to come
Yet, when social revolutions broke out in Cuba and at home
and Black people took to the streets in rage
Claxton and his colored troupe
fought from the main stage
In a time when people of color were fighting for basic rights
Claxton was taking show business to incredible new heights
dispersing Black and Latin music and dance along the way
“Harlem in Havana” helped wash away the tar mask
from Canada to the U.S.A.
and created a multicultural arts movement
that still resonates today
Until now, the story of Leon Claxton’s life and lore
has been a great mystery
buried alongside Jim Crow
my grandfather had the best ‘Jig Show’
in all of carnival history
(Written by Leslie Cunningham, 2017)
