Johnson, Mayme H.

Mayme Hatcher Johnson was born near Durham, North Carolina in 1914. She moved to Harlem in 1938, and worked first as a cleaning woman, then as a hostess for Hagars Barbecue, a restaurant owned by singer Ethel Waters.

In April 1948 Mayme met the already infamous Harlem gangster, Bumpy Johnson, and the two married just six months later. Together they raised Ruthie, Mayme s daughter from a previous relationship; and Elease, Bumpy s daughter from a prior relationship.

Mayme was married to Bumpy a total of 20 years, and while Bumpy was incarcerated for 10 of those years, the two had a very