A reissue of Sammy Davis Jr.'s 1965 autobiography, Yes I Can chronicles this entertainment icon's rise to stardom, and his career-spanning pursuit of racial justice.
"I had to prove I was somebody. And I knew the only way to do that was to show the world what I could do."
-Sammy Davis Jr.
Originally published in 1965, and now being reissued in time for Sammy Davis Jr.'s hundredth birthday, Yes I Can is the groundbreaking and unforgettable legend's equally groundbreaking and unforgettable memoir, an absolute classic of its genre that retains its power and energy to this day. The famously frank entertainer (aka "Mr. Show Business" or, in his own words, "the only Black, Puerto Rican, one-eyed Jewish entertainer in the world") reveals the truth about working, creating art, and surviving as a Black performer in twentieth-century America. In its time, Yes I Can was a rare and candid-and hugely bestselling-exploration of the living contradictions and tensions Davis confronted throughout his storied career. It remains so today.
From his beginnings as a vaudevillian and a nightclub act in segregated bars and theaters; to sharing the first interracial kisses on Broadway and on network TV; to running with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra in the Rat Pack, and his friendships with Elvis, JFK, Martin Luther King, and more; Davis's star power dazzled the world for decades. But out of the spotlight, he confronted racism and the unrelenting pressure to perform his identity inoffensively or face the consequences society imposed. His memoir was the first to immerse readers in the knotted intersection of Blackness and fame, recounted with unflinching honesty and a bold pursuit of authenticity.
Yes I Can is a master class, a raw and revealing record of a man who rebuked expectations, and the legacy born of his unique talents-and of the resilience that made him a star.
A Macmillan Audio production from AUWA Books
Sammy Davis, Jr. (1925–1990) was a legendary singer, dancer, and actor known for landmark roles on stage and screen. A Rat Pack member, he broke racial barriers in Hollywood and beyond with his incredible talent. Known for "The Candy Man" and "Mr. Bojangles," Davis also championed civil rights and remains an icon of resilience and artistic excellence.
Jane Boyar (1933–1997) and Burt Boyar (1927–2018) were close, lifelong friends and collaborators of Sammy Davis, Jr. They worked with him on the writing of his classic, bestselling 1965 autobiography, Yes I Can, along with its 1989 follow-up, Why Me? Burt also spearheaded the publication of Photo by Sammy Davis, Jr., a book of black-and-white photographs taken by the legendary performer. The couple were also the authors of H. L. and Lyda: Growing Up in the H. L. Hunt and Lyda Bunker Hunt Family, Hitler Stopped by Franco, and the novels World Class and Invisible Scars.
