“They're Rotten, Purple Like The Color of Bad Meat; They're a Purple Gang”
Adam Tatar
Dr. Parsons
Duquesne University
The crackle of machine gun fire, shattered glass and bloodstain floors were common themes in Detroit during the 1920s and 30s, mostly associated with one group. The Purple Gang, a group of mostly Jewish Americans, terrorized Detroit’s underworld crime world with never before seen precision. The Bernstein brothers led the gang; Abe, Joe, Raymond and Isadore along with many of the brothers close friends, who they befriended while attending The Old Bishop School.
(Purple Gang members Abe and Raymond Bernstein, Abe Axler and Harry Keywell)
These men who were at one time, simply
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As a result of preparation, the Purple Gang was able to exploit these failures and transform Detroit into the hub of alcohol trade. In terms of the effect which the Purple Gang had on the national spotlight for their influence in the alcohol distribution reached as high as the House of Representatives. Journalist Walter Liggett in his testimony describing the role prohibition’s failure impacted Detroit stated,
“… That not only did this act result in wholesale crime, more drunkenness, more debauchery, disorder of every sort, but it was directly responsible, everywhere… for corruption of high officials, for the hypocrisy of high
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The Bernstein’s welcomed with open arms into their organization Herman “Hymie “ Paul, Joseph “Nigger Joe” Lebovitz and Joseph “Izzy” Sutker in 1926. Having a new group of members allowed for the group to expand their enterprises as the “Little Jewish Navy” was the main source of the Purple Gang’s alcohol, which they would strong arm different petty rum runners into submission. These men would also use speedboats for a more effective means to transport the liquor. With the ease of distribution of alcohol expanding more groups began to rely on the Purple’s resources including many different Italian groups who needed a more reliable source, following the assault of a Prohibition Official. Not only did the new clientele provide an increase source of revenue, but also the legend of the Purple Gang began to
1-The story tells, Real facts occurred in the 1940s, where it was a racist society. Gangs were scattered throughout the cities, and regions, and the streets. To live, you have full get away, or belonging to one of them. You should help the gang members that they were right or on falsehood. Also, it is a kind of bigotry, not much different from intolerance, national, ethnic, and sectarian That were prevalent in American society. in fact, it is the inevitable result of this society. When the corruption becomes prevails, injustice and lawless prevails too, and justice will disappear.
Did you know that in the 1920s the American government poisoned alcoholic beverages to stop excessive use of it from the consumers? Of course, this happened during Prohibition which was the America government’s attempt to stop and illegalize the manufacture and marketing of beer. Surprisingly, Prohibition lasted from 1920 until 1933.Throughout the prohibition period, many famous and infamous leaders rose, such as Alphonse Capone, Carry Nation, and Adolphus Busch. Expectedly the use of alcohol during the 1920s caused strong and respectable men to become diverted dull and to be extremely abusive to their spouse and children; therefore causing it to be a necessity to be abolished in the eyes of the American government. “We Sang Rock of Ages”: Frances Willard’s Battles Alcohol in the late 19th century is a selection from an autobiography by Frances Willard in which it provided detailed report of her experience participating in a temperance movement. Frances Willard’s literary piece uplifts the idea of humane purity against foul and slow working toxins that are capable of corrupting the most innocent kind of men, and stresses the importance for men to not be pressured to follow the crowd. Frances Willard’s “We Sang Rock of Ages” essay indicated the temperance movement’s pursuit to heal social morals, abolish the excessive use of alcohol, and target slaves of alcohol to turn to God through prayer as well as song.
The Gangster Disciples is a violent gang which began in the Chicago, Illinois area. In the 1970's, the leaders of two different Chicago-based gangs, the Black Disciples and the Supreme Gangsters, aligned their respective groups andcreated the Gangster Disciples. Once united, the Gangster Disciples recruited heavily in Chicago, within Illinois jails and prisons, and throughout the United States. The Gangster Disciples are active in criminal activity in approximately 24 states. The Gangster Disciples employ a highly structured organization. Members are organized into geographic groups; each called a "count" or a “deck." Members in good standing are considered to be ”on-count" or ”plugged in." A meeting of a particular count may be referred to
As more and more immigrants began to spread throughout the US, more and more gangs of people began to emerge. Gangs were usually made up of people of a common ethnicity, whether it be Irish, Italian, or Hispanic. These gangs were usually victims of anti-immigrant policies and looked for strength in numbers. As gangs became more and more sophisticated they realized they could make profits from the power they were accumulating. One of the most recognizable examples is the bootlegging of alcohol during the Prohibition. When federal officials attempted to enforce legislation such as the Volstead Act, there was a surge of illegal sales and profits. In 1927, Al Capone and his gang racked up over $60 million from bootlegged alcohol. With all of this money came tons of violence, people were getting murdered in broad daylight just so others could have a sum of all of this wealth. Soon Mob families would own clubs or casinos to increase their wealth. The attendees weren’t only made up of rich mob bosses, the alcohol, dancing, and gambling attracted many ordinary
Surprisingly, little has been written about the historical significance of black gangs in Los Angeles (LA). Literature and firsthand interviews with Los Angeles residents seem to point to three significant periods relevant to the development of the contemporary black gangs. The first period, which followed WWII and significant black migrations from the South, is when the first major black clubs formed. After the Watts rebellion of 1965, the second period gave way to the civil rights period of Los Angeles where blacks, including those who where former club members who became politically active for the remainder of the 1960s. By the early 1970s black street gangs began to reemerge. By 1972, the Crips were firmly established and the Bloods were beginning to organize. This period saw the rise of LA’s newest gangs, which continued to grow during the 1970s, and later formed in several other cities throughout the United States by the 1990s. While black gangs do not make up the largest or most active gang population in Los Angeles today, their influence on street gang culture nationally has been profound.
Passed by Congress on December 18th, 1917 and ratified on January 16th, 1919, “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction there of beverage for purposes” was prohibited by Amendment XVIII of the United States Constitution. The ratification of this Amendment solidified a period in America’s history that would later be described as the “noble experiment” of prohibition and set historians, policy makers, and citizens alike on the great debate as to whether this experiment had created more harm than good. The standard view of national alcohol prohibition was that it was a failed social experiment. Support for this argument is generally backed by knowledge that by prohibiting alcoholic beverages in such a way created a black market for organized crime in the United States. In reality, the issue of prohibition was much more complex than the Amendment made it appear and encompassed many more issues than what standard accounts implied. Examining this expanded view of prohibition during the early 1900’s, this great “noble experiment” did, in fact, create more good than harm.
...ough with the times. The men in those gangs were willing to die for the people they worked and many of them did. They would also kill someone in an instant if ordered to or if they crossed their family or gang. Lives were alway in danger during the prohibition era because of the measure people would take to ensure their own safety. it was survival of the fittest and the gangster of the era and organized crime were at the top of the food chain.
An estimated 1.4 million people are active in more than 33,000 street, prison, and outlaw motorcycle gangs across the country, according to a report from the FBI. FBI officials, however, were quick to emphasize that the apparent 40 percent increase in membership may reflect more accurate reporting of numbers in gang ranks (FBI). Neighborhood-based gangs have proven that they can be very violent. Neighborhood Crip Rollin’ 6o’s is the most popular street gang in many states. Neighborhood Crip Rollin’ 6o’s is a gang that have many interesting things about it such as it’s early formation, how to get in and out, and what they do.
According to the 2015 National Gang Report (NGR) from the National Gang Intelligence Center (NGIC) almost half of law enforcement juristictions across the United States reported a rise in street gang membership and street gang activitiy. My communitty is no exception.
This book was about a street gang called the Mighty Vice Lords. They were the second largest gang in Chicago with about 30,000 members. The Vice Lords started in the Illinois Training center (Juvenile Correctional Facility) for boys in St. Charles Illinois during 1958 and was led by Edward “Pepalo” Perry and Alfonso Alfred. This group was known to be brutal and violent. It discussed how a violent gang can become a community organization and change the way things were done for the betterment of the community. This information is important because it showed that gangs can become a positive force.
A Climate of Fear “The Gang Crackdown”, provided by PBS, communicates the everyday struggles that the communities of Nassau County face every day. The video’s focus revolves around the homicidal and violent crimes that have been provided by the “MS-13” and the details of cracking down on their development. The Latin American gang from El Salvador is known for their audacity to target the young population of Long Island and their homicidal tendencies. They have targeted children and teenagers at their workplace, their home, and their school. These gang members have left the community defenseless and struck fear into the hearts of many parents along with the government itself.
According to National Gang Center, “ more than 30,000 gangs represents a 15 percent increase from 2006 and is the highest annual estimate since 1996 (www.nationalgangcenter.gov need to find date).” National Gang Center point is about how gangs have increased throughout the years. A gang is a group of youngsters or adolescents who associate closely, often exclusively, for social reasons, especially such a group engaging in delinquent behavior. Gangs can be organized based upon race, ethnicity, territory, or money making activities. Gang members can be aged between 8 to 22 years old.
The Prohibition greatly contributed to the consumption of unsafe alcohol, which led to a decline in health, a spike in death rates and an overall deterioration of American society. The Prohibition also caused an increase in the consumption of unsafe substances through facilitating the trafficking and use of drugs. The Prohibition first led to an increase in the use of drugs by leading many common drinkers to switch to other substances to satisfy their needs. This switch from alcohol to hard drugs proves itself to be true when author Mark Thorton writes, “Prohibition removed a significant source of tax revenue and greatly increased government spending. It led many drinkers to switch to opium, marijuana, patent medicines, cocaine, and other dangerous substances that they would have been unlikely to encounter in the absence of Prohibition”(Web).
Stanley “Tookie” Williams created the street gang known as the ”Crips.” By 1980, the Crips were in turmoil, going to war with the Bloods and against each other. The development and power of the Crips took off in the 1980’s when crack cocaine hit the streets. The huge profits from distribution of crack cocaine introduced many Crips to establish new markets in other cities and states. Because Crips were so powerful, they began tormenting other gangs. Those gangs joined the Piru Street Boys to create a new foundation of non-Crip gangs which would later become known the“Bloods.” Sylvester Scott established the Piru street gang, the first “Bloods” street gang. He started the Bloods because he was attacked by Raymond Washington and several other Crips. As a result, the Bloods street gang was initially formed to provide members protection from Crips because the Crips outnumbered them 3 to 1. Several gangs felt victimized by the Crips due to their escalating
The story, Gang Leader for a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh, is a ethnographic study of a Black King Gang in the Robert Taylor community. Venkatesh accidentally stumbles upon the gang lead by J.T. and decided to study them. Throughout his journey he learns from the violence and illegal activity he witnesses that “in the projects it’s more important that you take care of the problem first. Then you worry about how you took care of it”’ (Venkatesh. 2008:164). He witnesses beatings, selling of illegal drugs, and exploitation of residents; but he also gained a lot of knowledge about the community. He works with J.T. and Ms. Bailey, the community leader, closely through his study. J.T. has taken a sociology class and he allows Venkatesh to shadow the gang