While the very first great American-born magician is a subject
of some debate, an African- American named Richard Potter,
also known as “Black Potter,” was undoubtedly the first American
magician to gain recognition in his own country. Potter was a great
ventriloquist, and many stories exist about his amazing feats: It was
said that he could swallow molten lead, enter a heated oven with a
leg of lamb and stay there until the lamb was cooked, and dance
on eggs without breaking them!