American gangsters during the 1920s

American gangsters during the 1920s

Most American gangsters during the 1920s controlled liquor sales, gambling, prostitution, and other illegal activities. Even though they had an image as murderers they were involved with the political, social, and economic conditions of the times. In a way gangsters of this time period set the standards for today’s gangs and their participation in the trade of illegal goods.
Alphonse Capone also known as Al Capone was one of the most eminent and feared criminals during the early twentieth century. He was caught up in the highly complicated world of Prohibition, the role of gangs, and prearranged crimes. Overall Al Capone was one of the most appealing and iconic gangsters in the United States. Other significant American gangsters of the time included Vito Genovese, Charles "Lucky" Luciano, John Dillinger, and Bugsy Siegel.

There was a plethora of criminal activities during this period which included bank robberies, the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages, black market drugs, gambling, and prostitution. Violence was used as a device to merge with businesses, during the early twenties. Most gangsters would not murder for entertaining purposes but would for the bitter and calculated gang business practices. The style that gangsters killed during the twenties was different from current killings. Gangsters would take rival gang members and line them up in pairs in front of warehouses walls and shot them down. Early gangsters would kill in business like fashion compared to current gangs that get personal kicks and enjoyment from killings. Gangs augmented because of mobsters and gangsters during the 1920s and 30s. This caused America’s immigrant communities and ghetto neighborhoods to be inclined to join gangs and ethnic gangs. There is always an end to fame and fortune when you are in a gang. Most gangsters are sent to jail, killed by rival gangsters, or even killed by their own gang members.

References

*Iorizzo, Luciano J. Al Capone: a biography. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2003. ISBN 0-313-32317-8
*Asbury, Herbert. The Gangs of Chicago: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld. New York, New York: Thunder's Mouth Press. ISBN 1-56025-454-8

External links

* [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/index.html Gangsters and Outlaws]
* [http://www.gripe4rkids.org/his.html Gang Information]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Prohibition in the United States — Detroit police inspecting equipment found in a clandestine underground brewery during the Prohibition era Prohibition in the United States (sometimes referred to as the Noble Experiment)[1] was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and… …   Wikipedia

  • The Jersey crew — In Newark, New Jersey Founded by Lucchese crime family Years active 1920s–present Territory …   Wikipedia

  • The Drowsy Chaperone — Broadway production windowcard Music Lisa Lambert Greg Morrison Lyrics …   Wikipedia

  • The Untouchables (film) — Infobox Film name = The Untouchables caption = Theatrical poster director = Brian De Palma producer = Art Linson Executive Producer: Raymond Hartwick writer = Original Novel: Oscar Fraley Eliot Ness Screenplay: David Mamet narrator = starring =… …   Wikipedia

  • The Threepenny Opera — For the 1931 film, see The Threepenny Opera (1931 film). For the 1990 film, see Mack the Knife (film). The Threepenny Opera Original German poster from Berlin, 1928. Music Kurt Weill …   Wikipedia

  • The Purple Gang — Infobox Criminal organization name = The Purple Gang image size = caption = Paul R. Kavieff s The Purple Gang : Organized Crime in Detroit 1910 1945 founded = 1910 s founding location = Hastings Street, Detroit, Michigan, United States years… …   Wikipedia

  • The Public Enemy — Infobox Film name =The Public Enemy caption = The Public Enemy movie poster director = William A. Wellman producer = Darryl F. Zanuck writer = Kubec Glasmon John Bright Harvey F. Thew starring =James Cagney Jean Harlow Edward Woods Joan Blondell… …   Wikipedia

  • The Mafia during Prohibition — By the 1920s The United States and the provinces within Canada had adopted prohibition (a law forbidding the sale of alcohol [Hallowell, Prohbition In Ontario, 1919 1923.1972. Ottawa: Love Printing Service. Pg ix] . It was during that era that… …   Wikipedia

  • Jewish-American organized crime — Largely originating from the immigration from Eastern Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Jewish American organized crime (sometimes referred to as the Kosher Nostra a pun on the Italian term Cosa Nostra Kosher Mafia , the… …   Wikipedia

  • African-American organized crime — Although a minority during the 19th and early 20th centuries, African American organized crime first began to emerge following large scale migrations of Caribbean and African Americans to major cities of the Northeast and Midwest. In many of… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”