BROOKLYN GANGS
From the former president of the TNT: I was president of the TNT during 1973. There were only 12 bachelors when it first started in brooklyn and I was one of the founders. I can't remember the names of most but in one summer from 71-73 I believe the group exploded in numbers. The main objective was to stop the drug dealing and to stop the black gangs push into the Puerto Rican area. You forgot to mention the senoir bachelors, whom were all arrested for kidnapping and other charges, except for possibly just two of us who did not get arrested since we had not participated in the kidnap.
Canarsie, Brooklyn
They were a gang, and back in 1969 there was a turf fight that broke out in the cafeteria over drug selling rights leading to the L gang breaking into the school and messing a lot of people up with chairs before several buses full of cops arrived and broke things up. The African-American kids were taken home in a whole batch of empty city buses that came an hour or so later. The school was closed for a few days. Cops in full riot gear patrolled the school for weeks afterward, and certain people in black Cadillacs...like a funeral procession, just circled the school around and around all day also for weeks. The tension was beyond belief. Everybody was waiting for gun battles to break out at any minute. Eventually it all settled down.
Flatbush, Brooklyn
- CLUB EXOTIC: Hooper Street, South Williamsburgh
- CLUB 32: 32 Ten Eyck Street, Williamsburgh Members: Freddie, Jeanette, Loretta, Marty, Ziggy, Joe, Don, Maureen, Mary Ann, Eddie, Sal, Tony, Vinnie, Bobby, Louise, Barbara, Sara, Johnny, Ruthie, Paulie, Doc, Richie
- CLUB ALCO Danny,Billy, Vinnie, Carmen
- CLUB DIMENSION
- CLUB ILLUSION
Brooklyn Clubs
These were all pretty much in the same area and were all converted store fronts with bars. Girls drank free. I have very fond memories of all the people I met there. Can't remember all their name and only some of their last names. This was 1960 through 1962.Red Hook 70's Gangs
Homicide Dozen, The Hustlers, The Web, El Kavons, Cobras, and The Murder Junkies- WOLVES: 30s - 40s Maspeth in the 30's& 40's,there was two groups a younger and older group,they were located in Pollack Alley and they wore jackets that had a Wolf on the back and they were reversible so the cops couldn't identify them.
- ASTORIA ENCHANTERS: Early 1950's. Battled the PARK SIDE GENTS, HOBO LORDS, QUEENS BRIDGE PROJECTS gangs, and other Astoria gangs.
- PARKSIDE GENTS: Phil was really the leader of the club. In the summer, they hung out by the bridge. In the Winter, at Henrys or Mannys Candy Store. In the summer, the sun deck of the Astoria park. Their rivals were the Enchanters that came from Queensbridge, along with the Corsairs and Progressive Lovers. Astoria had the Scotmens and White Hunters who usually fought Chappies or Midnites or Jokers. We seniors-Juniors and tots.
- CORONA ENCHANTERS: Started in the late 1950's. Included the LITTLE ENCHANTERS, BABY ENCHANTERS, BIG ENCHANTERS, and the LADY ENCHANTERS. The general feeling in among the Corona Enchanters was that the guys sharing our name in Astoria were cool and the Gents were our enemies too.
- The SAINTS: Italian/Irish gang The Saints are said to have started in the late 1940's and had lasted up until the 1960's.
- LUCKY SEVEN: Faction of Hell's Kitchen WESTIE'S gangs in Astoria
- SUTTER LORDS: Sutter Lords in Ozone Park around 1962 or 1963, hung around PS 63.
- DIABLOS: Sunnyside
- HOBO LORDS: Hobo Lords--Astoria(Queens)and Red Hook(Brooklyn)
- SADDLE TRAMPS: Astoria
- NORTHERN BOULEVARD BOYS: The Northern Boulavard Boys have a play in New York city - Northern Boulevard Boys Play Flier.
- CHAMPIONS: 50s white Hung out at the Mapleways Bowling Alley, at 163-10 Northern Boulevard.
- CORONA JENTS
- Jackson Heights Gangs: Jr Bachelors
- CHEROKEES: Sunnyside
- SCOTCHSMEN - QueensBridge, Long Island City(Queens)
- PARK SIDE GENTS: Astoria
- BLACK ANGELS: 1951 Black Angels were from Queens Village in Jamaica Queens. Their main rival were the Breakers from Ozone Park.
- BREAKERS: 1951 The Breakers were an Italian gang from Ozone Park Queens. Their main rival were the Black Angels.
- BAYSIDE WEST ZOMBIES: 1950's
- BAYSIDE WEST CARMENS: Social Club
- WOODSIDE CHIEFS
- CHEYENNES - South Jamaica
- POLITICIANS - Harlem(Manhattan), Corona(Queens)
- APOSTLES: 1958-1966 Forest Hills/Rego Park area. A gang formed after the Drag Masters left the neighborhood for the Army. Gang fights mostly with the Elmhurst gangs and the Lord Lanterns from Woodside. Fun times before Nam.
- DUKES: Corona - Italian. They had a clubhouse just off 108th St. that was a finished basement in a house. They were sharp dressers and had nice cars. They operated south of Roosevelt Ave. and had the area around Newtown High School sewn up. The Dukes scared a lot of people and supposedly even intimidated white gangs from distant neighborhoods like Astoria's Park Side Gents.
- POLK AVENUE BOYS: 1950s Hung out on 37th avenue (Polk Avenue) Polk movie theater and Carvel ice cream store on the triangle block across the street, Jackson Heights, Queens, Long Island,not far from the Corona Dukes gang to the East (Junction Blvd,was the dividing line)the Northern Blvd Boys to the North(Boulevard theater, Tannenbombs convenience next door,Joost Luncheonette,and the Astoria Gents Gang to the West(Astoria Blvd),not far from Manhattan just over the 59th Street Bridge connecting Manhattan, New York to Long Island.
QUEENS GANGS
In 1961, a battle for control of Newtown High School took place, with the Enchanters and Chaplins temporarily putting there differences aside, combining to fight the Dukes. The outcome of the main melee around the high school was considered a victory by the black clubs but the Dukes thought differently. The Newtown High fight signalled changes to come.
The Son of a Cherokee had this to say: My mom knew all the Dukes she was in a female gang called the Cherokees some old timer recently told me a guy once touched one of the Cherokees & the girls beat the guy unconscious at a gas station also the Dukes had a big riot at a concert at Sunnyside Gardens in queens and the singer Fats Domino had to run for his life. At lot of Italians hang around 104 street at Tony?s restaurant and Bar.
The Corona Dukes were mentioned in the book "Serpico". He was credited for being their Youth Worker prior to becoming a NYPD. More on the Corona Dukes.
Woodside Chiefs: Expressions Doo Wop
Woodside Chiefs
The Woodside Chiefs, teenage boys, were self funded. Each of us bought our own uniforms and equipment and we all chipped in for our bus fees for away games.
A famous quote about the Woodside Chiefs is in a book by Robert Timberg titled "State of Grace" Simon & Shuster, 2004. The quarterback of the Lynvettes, Thomas "Tommy" Wall, a Woodsider and former Chief QB said about the Chiefs "in the off season we were a gang." That was all tongue in cheek.
Woodside Chief Video
Viceroys - The Swinging Man's gang
From the movie - Young Savages
The Viceroys were a Puerto Rican gang from 103rd Street, between Park and Madison Avenues.- TURKS: Central Harlem The Turks and Turkettes were from the General Grant Houses on 125th Street in central Harlem. The Turks never had a chapter or division in the Bronx. We were an exclusively Harlem N.Y.C. based gang from the early 70's. There was also a Turks gang in Harlem during the 50's but they didn't have anything to do with the 70's Turks or Turkettes. I was one of the original presidents of the Turks gang during the early 70's. Clovis. Harlem 1972 Peace Treaty
- VAMPIRES: Manhattan West 70s and 80s Streets: Leader was Dracula. Responsible for "The Capeman Murders" August 29, 1959.
- NORDICS: Late 1950s, Irish/Italian gang out of Hell's Kitchen.
NEW YORK GANGS
- DRAGONS: 50's Spanish Harlem. Their turf was South of 106th Street.
- PITT STREET DRAGONS: 1960
- THE CRUSADERS: 1960
- SMITH BOYS: 1960
- CENTURIONS: 1960 -Lower Eastside Includes the Junior Centurions.
- LUCKY LORDS: 1953
- COUNTS: 1953
- HARLEM LORDS: mid 50s
- EGYPTIAN KINGS: 405/50s
- IMPERIAL KNIGHTS: Harlem
- NORSEMEN: East Harlem
- ENGLISHMEN: Harlem
- ENCHANTERS: Harlem
- ENFORCERS: Harlem(Manhattan)
- TINY TOTS: Inwood, Manhattan
- TURKS - Harlem
- VALLEY BOYS
- BOPPING BALLERINOS - Lower Eastside
- SPORTSMEN: 1959 Avenue D on the Lower East Side Black gang. Main rival - the Forsyth Street Boys.
- FORSYTH STREET BOYS: 1959 Lower East Side gang - mixed Black and Latino. Main rival was the Sportsman.
- DEMONS
- BOPS a.k.a. BeBoppers: mid 50s Stylish dressers with stylish names, wore all black, white and brown. Also had a chapter in Jersey City, New Jersey. These guys were instrumental in promoting the Bebop sound which came out of the fifties.
- JESTERS
- COMMANCHES: 60s East Harlem
- ROYAL CEPTORS: 60s from midtown
- TURBAN QUEENS
- PYTHON KNIGHTS JUNIORS: Python Knights Jrs - we were located at 115th st between Park and Madison Avenue; during the early 50s.(1952-1957)our main rivals were the Enchanters, Englishmen, Imperial Knights, Red Wings, Viceroys, Sportsmen, Chaplains, Bishops. We were the most feared gang in New York. Ralphie Copeland was president.
- SATAN SPADES 70s East Harlem: See 1972 Harlem Peace Treaty When they were filming the scene with the Lizzy's in the movie "The Warriors," they got $500.00 from the production crew as protection money for the company's vehicles.
- PRISON BROTHERS: 1972 Harlem Peace Treaty
- COPIANS: 40s/50s Harlem Rival of the Chancellors. They had chapters in Harlem (Manhattan), South Bronx and in Jamaica and Corona (Queens) and other areas.
- CHANCELLORS: 40s/50s Harlem
- NEGRO SABRES
- SOCIALISTICS
- PALS OF SATAN: 40s/50s Harlem
- SLICKSTERS: 40s/50s Harlem
- MYSTERIOUs FIVES: 40s/50s Harlem
- IMPERIAL HUNS: 40s/50s Harlem
- ITALIAN DUKES: Italian Harlem
- REDWINGS: once held Italian Harlem (East Harlem), which is now Spanish Harlem. They were a cousin gang to the Golden Guineas in The Bronx. Their rivals were the Dragons and the VICEROYS (East 110th Street). Legend has it, that in the movie "The Young Savages" (starring Burt Lancaster and Deana Merrill, 1960), The Italian "Thunderbirds" were loosely based on the "Italian Redwings". There was Pepsi, Stretch, Moochie, to name a few. The Young Wings were the Midgets, and were initiated into the Red Wings when they got older. The RED WINGS and the DARLING DEBS were known to hang around 120TH and Pleasant Avenue in the area of the Wagner Projects. Red Wing hangouts included: Shep's Candy Store on the corner of 115th and Pleasant Ave. right across the street from Franklin, Artistries on 118th St. and Pleasant Ave, the Night Hawks on 119th St and Pleasant Ave and Osies Candy Store on 116th St. between 1st and Pleasant Ave.
A Benjamin High School woman from Red Wing's neighborhood had this to say: What I remember is that they didn't like the Hispanics living around there...they were mostly from 114 street to 119th street...after a while I know they were ok with the Spanish girls but not with the guys....then we had the Christians and the Elegants I think they were formed because of the red wings...they would have gang wars sometimes...but it was never dirty fights...no guns ....once in a while if it got too heavy there would be knives and chains... Oh yes the Christians came from 117th... too close to 119th street... we had a park on 120th street next to the east river drive....and that?s where the red wings and other gangs would have their wars...they didn?t want others in their turf. It was a different world then....now it?s pretty bad with the gangs...
Racial problems in East Harlem
A 1963 Black student graduate from Benjamin High School had this to say about the Harlem Red Wings:I can't forget them. They were gangs, and I was afraid of being seen by them. I am from the JWJ projects in East Harlem, and they were terror!!!!
Frank Sinatra Appearance
A former Benjamin High School student had this to say about the Frank Sinatra incident in Italian Harlem:The Sinatra episode is significant. I believe it happened during or just after WWII. There were racial problems at Benjamin Franklin H.S. and Mr. Sinatra came in to help quite things down. There also is a short 5 minute video on the internet about this incident. Mr. Sinatra also wrote or at least sang What America means to me. I recommend that every one check out this bit of Italian American History. I personally feel that Mr. Sinatra should be memorialized with a plaque placed within the High School which is no longer Benjamin Franklin but it is now called Manhattan Center for Math and Science.
Italian Harlem's Downfall
Italian Harlem consisted of Italians mostly of the poorer southern provinces of Calabria and Sicily, who settled in the area east of 3rd Avenue, between 110th-125th Streets, known as "Dago Harlem." During the 40s, 50s and early 60s, a street gang known as the Harlem Redwings controlled this turf. Their main rivals in East Harlem were the black Dragons and the Enchanters, a few Irish gangs from Irish Harlem, along with the Puerto Rican Viceroys - who controlled 86th Street - (Remember the beginning of the "Young Savages" movie, the first scene was a wall that was tagged "Thunderbirds", "Horsemen", and the "Viceroys"). They also fought vicious turf wars with two powerful Bronx Italian gangs, the Golden Guineas and the multi-generational Fordham Baldies.An Ex-Italian Harlem resident had this to say about East Harlem:
"Italian Harlem as an Italian American enclave was devastated by the building of Franklin Plaza. The residents were sold out by the local politicians and property owners. It was truly a stake through the heart of the neighborhood. Many people promised apartments there never got them. A good portion of East Harlem's displaced residents settled in Throggs Neck between the years 1955-1965. Most of the neighborhood where I lived was leveled, though oddly enough the building I lived in on First Avenue between 108th and 109th Streets is still standing. I travel up First Avenue every month and ride through looking to see what's missing now."
Italian Harlem today
Italian Harlem today, which was located on Manhattan?s east side between 96th Street and 125th Street from Lexington Avenue to the East River, and was known as one of New York City?s ?Little Italys": Still home to fifty thousand Italian Americans, Italian Harlem was largely intact in 1950. By 1960, fewer than sixteen thousand Italian Americans resided in East Harlem. The 1990 Census shows only 918 Italian-Americans living in Italian Harlem. Most of these predominantly older residents are clustered around Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, where in a ten-block area (stretching from East 114th Street to East 118th Street and from Second Avenue to Pleasant Avenue) the remaining typical social clubs and business still operate.Jewish Harlem
The Jewish part of East Harlem was mostly west of 2nd Avenue. The area between Pleasant and 1st, and blocks between 1st and 2nd were predominately Italian. After 1940, the Jewish population faded and their diaspora paved the way for the hispanics to settle there. Although the Jewish residents of East Harlem moved to other areas of NYC, they stayed in the neighborhood to sell their wares, either door to door, or via a storefront business.WASHINGTON HEIGHTS
The Micheal Farmer killing was an incident that happened during the showing of West Side Story. This event took place in Washington Heights, NYC. Farmer was a polio stricken kid who was attacked by a gang called: "The Egyptian Dragons". A close knit group that consisted mainly of blacks and Puerto Ricans, who descended on Micheal Farmer in the city owned: Highbridge swimming pool, whom they perceived that Farmer was a member of a rival gang called "The Jesters" (It's not known whether or not Farmer was a gang member though...even to this day).Back then, Washington Heights neighborhood consisted mainly of Irish and Jews. Hispanics and Blacks were just coming into prominence in the late 50's.
- HANCOCKS
- RAINBOWS
- IRISH DUKES
My husband belonged to two gangs in Brooklyn in early 1950's "the mighty angels" and when he got older "the amber Kings" didn't see the gang here but on google reference it showed amber kings
ReplyDeleteHi Sissie, where did the Mighty Angels and Amber Kings have their turf?
ReplyDeletewww.newyorkcitygangs.com is my website I have been researching NYC youth gangs for many years.