johnson was born in charleston, south carolina on october 31, 1905. johnson derived his nickname "bumpy" from a bump on the back of his head. when he was 10, his older brother, willie, was accused of killing a white man. afraid of a possible lynch mob, his parents mortgaged their tiny home to raise money to send willie up north to live with relatives. as johnson grew older, his parents worried about his short temper and insolence towards whites, and in 1919 he was sent to live with his older sister mabel in harlem.