Skip to main content
Intellect

Legendary tap dancer "Mr. Bubbles" focus of new Lee Library exhibit

L. Tom Perry Special Collections at the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University is celebrating Black History Month with a free exhibit honoring John William Sublett, known as “Mr. Bubbles,” on the first floor. 

“Mr. Bubbles” was an American vaudeville performer, dancer, singer and entertainer. He is known as the father of “rhythm tap” and was one of the first black artists to perform at Radio City Music Hall. He also influenced tap dancers throughout the nation, including Fred Astaire.

The exhibit has pictures and mementos from Sublett’s life, including a collection of notes and signed photographs from other famous stars from the same era and a video featuring his particular style of tap dancing.

Additionally, the Education in Zion Gallery in the Joseph F. Smith building is hosting a Family Home Evening Monday, Feb. 25 at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. dedicated to notable Black figures in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as Jane Manning James and Samuel D. Chambers.  For more information about the FHE, visit www.educationinzion.byu.edu.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Roger Layton, (801) 422-6687, roger_layton@byu.edu.  

Writer: Hwa Lee

Related Articles

data-content-type="article"

Innovative group of BYU students roll out new AI tech to solve parking problems

March 19, 2024
A group of enterprising BYU students aim to significantly — if not entirely — reduce parking violations in paid parking lots, college and otherwise. And their idea, an AI detection and tracking system called Spot Parking (more on that in a minute), just got a major endorsement and $12,000 in cash by winning the 2024 BYU Student Innovator of the Year (SIOY) competition.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

Q&A with President Reese on BYU’s undergraduate teaching focus

March 15, 2024
In this Q&A series with President Reese, he shares more about the seven initiatives he shared in his 2023 inaugural response and how they apply to BYU employees.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

BYU math videos aim to transform equations into excitement

March 13, 2024
From calculating the perfect bottle flip to understanding how much force is behind a penny dropped off a skyscraper, Math the World videos creatively answer the age-old math question, “When will I ever use this?”
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= overrideTextAlignment=
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText=