Sammy Davis Jr. was born on December 8, 1925, in the Harlem section of Manhattan in New York City, the son of African-American entertainer and stage performer Sammy Davis Sr. and tap dancer and stage performer Elvera Sanchez.
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Sammy Davis Jr was an American singer, actor, comedian, and dancer who began his career in Vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr., and the Will Mastin Trio.
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In 1944, during World War II, Sammy Davis Jr was drafted into the U.S. Army at age 18. Davis earned the American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal and was discharged in 1945 with the rank of private.
In 2017, Sammy Davis Jr was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. On May 27–28, 1973, Davis hosted the first annual 20-hour Highway Safety Foundation telethon.
Sammy Davis Jr was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for his television performances.
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