Building an Empire
In the 1920s, Stephanie St. Clair, a Caribbean immigrant, built a thriving numbers gambling empire in Harlem, employing up to 50 runners. By 1930, her wealth was estimated at $500,000 (equivalent to $8 million today), and she owned several properties.
Defying Dutch Schultz
When notorious mobster Dutch Schultz tried to take over Harlem’s numbers game, St. Clair launched a fierce resistance. She destroyed Schultz’s operations, publicly defied him, and survived his threats until his 1935 assassination.
Headlines and Controversies
St. Clair made waves with her bold newspaper ads denouncing rivals and police corruption. In 1938, she was sentenced to prison for attempting to shoot her lover, Sufi Abdul Hamid, following his infidelity.
A Complex Legacy
After her release, St. Clair faded from public life. By the time of her death in 1969, her story had become a mix of myth and fact. Despite her controversial methods, she remains a key figure in Harlem’s history as a numbers queen and advocate for Black business.
In the 1920s, Stephanie St. Clair, a Caribbean immigrant, built a thriving numbers gambling empire in Harlem, employing up to 50 runners. By 1930, her wealth was estimated at $500,000 (equivalent to $8 million today), and she owned several properties. pic.twitter.com/hicVGVZ1Ja
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) November 21, 2024