Sometime in the early to late 1960's, mob soldier Joey Gallo (pictured) befriended African-American youths from the black-populated enclaves of Brooklyn, New York realizing that joining forces with the African-Americans, rather than fighting them, would be profitable.
The idea of uniting the major African-American and Italian underworld leaders became an obsession with him which would be his life's credo. It would later be a philosophy that was later put in to practice by several fellow capos and mob bosses and led to building ties to other criminal organizations.
While in jail, Gallo was an outsider among his fellow incarcerated Italian counterparts and was constantly seen with an entourage of African-Americans.
The idea of uniting the major African-American and Italian underworld leaders became an obsession with him which would be his life's credo. It would later be a philosophy that was later put in to practice by several fellow capos and mob bosses and led to building ties to other criminal organizations.
While in jail, Gallo was an outsider among his fellow incarcerated Italian counterparts and was constantly seen with an entourage of African-Americans.
In late 1965, Nicky Barnes (directly above) was arrested with $500,000 worth of heroin. In prison, he met Joey Gallo.
They had long discussions and agreed to organize all of the city's top black gangsters into a 'family' to rival the Mafia. Gallo told Barnes, early on, I always had blacks in my crew despite objections from Italian gangsters. I was often shunned because of my black friendships. Gallo planned to school the black gangsters on the art of racketeering. First, they would organize in New York and put together a national syndicate of black gangsters.
When Gallo was released from prison, he immediately hired a superstar attorney to work on Barnes appeal. Barnes’ 25 year sentence was thrown out on a technicality. After his release, Barnes called a meeting of Harlem's top black racketeers to discuss the proposal of a 'black family' to rival the Mafia. The idea was presented and defeated by a vote of 7-3. This is the closest the nation has ever come to having a "Black Underworld."
They had long discussions and agreed to organize all of the city's top black gangsters into a 'family' to rival the Mafia. Gallo told Barnes, early on, I always had blacks in my crew despite objections from Italian gangsters. I was often shunned because of my black friendships. Gallo planned to school the black gangsters on the art of racketeering. First, they would organize in New York and put together a national syndicate of black gangsters.
When Gallo was released from prison, he immediately hired a superstar attorney to work on Barnes appeal. Barnes’ 25 year sentence was thrown out on a technicality. After his release, Barnes called a meeting of Harlem's top black racketeers to discuss the proposal of a 'black family' to rival the Mafia. The idea was presented and defeated by a vote of 7-3. This is the closest the nation has ever come to having a "Black Underworld."
Upon his release from prison in 1971, Joe Gallo started battling feared family boss-Joe Colombo (1st and 2nd photos) and the Colombo family. Gallo was one of the first mafia soldiers to predict a shift of power in the Harlem rackets from the Italian mafia to African-American gangs. While in prison, Gallo had made numerous connections with African-American gang members to the dismay of Colombo.
Gallo dispatched a black triggerman, Jerome Johnson (3rd photo) to assassinate Joe Colombo, at the time, the most powerful and feared mob boss in the world. This broke ranks, and was the first time in history, a black man was assigned to take out a powerful underworld figure.
Joe Colombo was shot on June 28, 1971 by Jerome Johnson. Johnson, who was immediately shot dead by Colombo's bodyguards, was known as an Gallo associate, thus shifting suspicion to Gallo.
Colombo would survive the shooting but remain in a coma for the rest of his life (a vegetable).
In retaliation for the Colombo shooting: On April 7, 1972, Joey Gallo was celebrating his 43rd birthday with friends including his bodyguard, Peter "Pete the Greek" Diapoulas at a restaurant, Umberto's Clam House at 129 Mulberry Street in Little Italy, Manhattan. At least two gunmen burst in the doors and opened fire with .32 and .38 caliber revolvers. Gallo was hit five times while he burst away from his table. Diapoulas was shot once in the hip during the melee. Joey stumbled into the street and collapsed while his killers sped away in a car. The gunmen were never positively identified. At his funeral, Gallo's sister cried over his coffin, between tears she said: "The streets are going to run red with blood, Joey!"
Gallo dispatched a black triggerman, Jerome Johnson (3rd photo) to assassinate Joe Colombo, at the time, the most powerful and feared mob boss in the world. This broke ranks, and was the first time in history, a black man was assigned to take out a powerful underworld figure.
Joe Colombo was shot on June 28, 1971 by Jerome Johnson. Johnson, who was immediately shot dead by Colombo's bodyguards, was known as an Gallo associate, thus shifting suspicion to Gallo.
Colombo would survive the shooting but remain in a coma for the rest of his life (a vegetable).
In retaliation for the Colombo shooting: On April 7, 1972, Joey Gallo was celebrating his 43rd birthday with friends including his bodyguard, Peter "Pete the Greek" Diapoulas at a restaurant, Umberto's Clam House at 129 Mulberry Street in Little Italy, Manhattan. At least two gunmen burst in the doors and opened fire with .32 and .38 caliber revolvers. Gallo was hit five times while he burst away from his table. Diapoulas was shot once in the hip during the melee. Joey stumbled into the street and collapsed while his killers sped away in a car. The gunmen were never positively identified. At his funeral, Gallo's sister cried over his coffin, between tears she said: "The streets are going to run red with blood, Joey!"
courtesy of: the 'Panache Report'..
As loveable as a Mobster could be! The one and only Joey Gallo!
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