04261nam 2200721Ia 450 991046164440332120200520144314.00-674-05696-510.4159/9780674056961(CKB)2670000000176583(EBL)3301061(SSID)ssj0000657993(PQKBManifestationID)11384841(PQKBTitleCode)TC0000657993(PQKBWorkID)10681361(PQKB)11280951(MiAaPQ)EBC3301061(DE-B1597)457802(OCoLC)785925709(OCoLC)979880384(DE-B1597)9780674056961(Au-PeEL)EBL3301061(CaPaEBR)ebr10567663(EXLCZ)99267000000017658320091211d2010 uy 0engurcn|||||||||txtccrPlaying the numbers[electronic resource] gambling in Harlem between the wars /Shane White ... [et al.]Cambridge, Mass. Harvard University Press20101 online resource (320 p.)Description based upon print version of record.0-674-05107-6 Includes bibliographical references and index.Front matter --Contents --Prologue --Introduction --1. History --2. Beginnings --3 Dreams --4. Turf Wars --5. Numbers' Lore --6. Of Kings and Queens --7. The Dutchman Cometh --8. Of Banks and Bankers --9. All Over Town --Epilogue --Notes --Acknowledgments --IndexThe phrase "Harlem in the 1920's" evokes images of the Harlem Renaissance, or of Marcus Garvey and soapbox orators haranguing crowds about politics and race. Yet the most ubiquitous feature of Harlem life between the world wars was the game of "numbers." Thousands of wagers, usually of a dime or less, would be placed on a daily number derived from U.S. bank statistics. The rewards of "hitting the number," a 600-to-1 payoff, tempted the ordinary men and women of the Black Metropolis with the chimera of the good life. Playing the Numbers tells the story of this illegal form of gambling and the central role it played in the lives of African Americans who flooded into Harlem in the wake of World War I. For a dozen years the "numbers game" was one of America's rare black-owned businesses, turning over tens of millions of dollars every year. The most successful "bankers" were known as Black Kings and Queens, and they lived royally. Yet the very success of "bankers" like Stephanie St. Clair and Casper Holstein attracted Dutch Schultz, Lucky Luciano, and organized crime to the game. By the late 1930's, most of the profits were being siphoned out of Harlem. Playing the Numbers reveals a unique dimension of African American culture that made not only Harlem but New York City itself the vibrant and energizing metropolis it was. An interactive website allows readers to locate actors and events on Harlem's streets.African AmericansNew York (State)New YorkSocial conditions20th centuryCity and town lifeNew York (State)New YorkHistory20th centuryGamblingNew York (State)New YorkHistory20th centuryInformal sector (Economics)New York (State)New YorkHistory20th centuryLotteriesNew York (State)New YorkHistory20th centuryHarlem (New York, N.Y.)Economic conditions20th centuryHarlem (New York, N.Y.)Social conditions20th centuryNew York (N.Y.)Economic conditions20th centuryNew York (N.Y.)Social conditions20th centuryElectronic books.African AmericansSocial conditionsCity and town lifeHistoryGamblingHistoryInformal sector (Economics)HistoryLotteriesHistory306.4/82097471White Shane, 848559White ShaneMiAaPQMiAaPQMiAaPQBOOK9910461644403321Playing the numbers2491557UNINA