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described him as, "Tall and self assured…he works a crowd like a three ring evangelist." And a syndicated columnist, Liz Smith expressed her admiration saying, "I…liked six foot youngest ringmaster ever, Johnathan Lee
Iverson, who is commanding enough to be noticed in the melee, and he can sing."
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Iverson joined the 129th edition of
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents The Living Carousel in 1998 and continued to perform until Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey closed in 2017. After the circus' closure, he worked as a ringmaster at
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While working with Barnum & Bailey Circus, Iverson married a fellow performer, Priscilla, and the couple had two children, Matthew and Lila, who also performed at
Ringling.
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and also assumed the role of chairman of the board for Omnium: A Bold New Circus. He was also a founding member of the
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magazine said of him, "The instant he appears out of the darkness and into the spotlight…the audience is rapt." The
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Beat of a
Different Drum: The Untold Stories of African-Americans Forging Their Own Paths in Work and Life
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stated, "Now imagine mesmerizing the crowd with a powerful voice and the bearing of a superstar." The
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323:"Johnathan Lee Iverson is first New York and African American ringmaster of Ringling Brothers Circus"
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217:. He was the first African American ringmaster, as well as the youngest ringmaster at the company.
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498:"'Trav'lin: A 1930s Harlem Musical Romance' explores epicenter of Black America, show's star says"
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In 2022, Iverson starred in a production of Trav’lin: A 1930s Harlem
Musical Romance in
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472:"Omnium Circus to Make Its Live World Premiere Under The Big Top At Tysons III"
281:. And in 2021, he worked as a ringmaster for Omnium Circus' world debut.
391:"From The Big Top Into The Big World: A Ringling Ringmaster's Final Bow"
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Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and
Performing Arts
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Black First: 4, 000 Ground-Breaking and
Pioneering Historical Events
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from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially
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416:"What It's Like to Be Ringling Bros. First Black Ringmaster"
358:"For ringmaster, one-year gig becomes role of a lifetime"
193:, where he received training to become an opera singer.
189:. Later, he graduated from the Hartt School of the
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167:Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
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242:Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People
560:University of Hartford Hartt School alumni
263:Live Life! Be Young, Black, and Successful
239:In 1999, Iverson was recognized as one of
213:In 1998, at the age of 22, Iverson joined
67:about living persons that is unsourced or
138:Learn how and when to remove this message
470:Rabinowitz, Chloe (17 September 2021).
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157:. He is best known for being the first
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540:Entertainers from New York City
321:Sherman, William (2010-03-07).
27:American ringmaster (born 1976)
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445:International, LIFE Outreach.
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45:biography of a living person
161:ringmaster of a major U.S.
72:must be removed immediately
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279:American Circus Alliance
173:Early life and education
570:Black circus performers
447:"Johnathan Lee Iverson"
177:Iverson grew up in the
87:"Johnathan Lee Iverson"
265:by Quincy Benton, and
259:African-American First
247:Greatest Show On Earth
226:San Francisco Examiner
191:University of Hartford
59:Please help by adding
151:Johnathan Lee Iverson
291:Winter Park, Florida
269:by Dax-Devlon Ross.
198:Boys Choir of Harlem
65:Contentious material
18:Jonathan Lee Iverson
255:Jessie Carney Smith
364:. 30 December 2013
185:. He attended the
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400:31 January
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332:2011-01-11
305:References
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