The OG Harlem gangster: Stephanie St. Clair
Talking about famous gangsters that were men and were very well known, you definitely heard about Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson. Back in the 1930s, he was one of the most famous African-American gangsters, and he definitely made a name for himself. However, what you didn’t know is the fact that he learned how to do business from a woman who used to rule over Harlem. You read that right. Before Bumpy came to power, he was the enforcer of Stephanie St. Clair.
Nicknamed “the Madame” (as she had a French background despite being an immigrant), Stephanie was a lady in her right who made her fortune by managing illegal betting all over Harlem. And the key to her success and being able to hold her turf was the fact that she was very protective of her neighborhood. She used to hold back all the other mobsters who tried to take over downtown, and she used to get rid of anyone who tried to make money on her turf.
What’s more, she had no fear of the law, testifying against corrupt police and getting a lot of them fired when they tried to cross her. She was one of the most prolific gangsters in Harlem until Bumpy took over from her!
5 Responses
Yes I have heard of them All
They should make a movie all about these women and how they started especially Stephanie st.clair
I love stories like this
Thank you for this fascinating article about female mafia heads from gangster history. I found it interesting when you mentioned that there are numerous female mafia heads who ran successful crime empires. This read compels me to learn more, so I’ll definitely find a mafia historical site in my area to satisfy my curiosity.
You forgot to include Hillary Clinton