Anyone remember the "gangs" in
Newark back in the 50's?
I lived in the Walsh Projects on Grafton Ave in North Newark.
Hung out at Elliot St. School playground and at Jennie's (I think
that was the name of the soda shop) across the street on Summer
Ave. A lot of us "project kids" belonged to a "Gang"
called the Snake Eyes. The back of our jackets had a snake wrapped
around a pair of dice with Snake Eyes written across the back. People
would call us the pregnant worms because the snake looked more like..a
pregnant worm.
The more I think about it, it did. I remember other gangs like
the Panthers, the Pythons and we even had another group, friends
of the "snake eyes", called the Mafia. Their jackets had
black hands on the back. Newark Police had orders to confiscate
their jackets when ever they saw a member on the street wearing
one. My wife used to hang at a store on Park Ave. and 7th St. called
Nicks and was even involved with a group of girls called the "Knockouts".
Another female "gang", also at the same location, was
the "Pink Panthers". They were the tough ones.
Let's see, there was also the Kings, the Toro's, the Ramblers,
the list goes on. These were some of the gangs or should I say Social
Clubs from the old first Ward North Newark area. How about from
the West Side, South Side, Weequahic, down neck area, Anyone remember?
Replies:
Joan Niven:
From the West Side...I remember the Romans, the Hi Hats and the
War Lords...There were alot more but don't remember the names.
Joan:
I don't think these were gangs..I believe these were "clubs"
My father belonged to a club in Newark back in the Thirties called
the "Pontiac" They were from 14th Ave.....
Quint:
We had "gangs" in my neighborhood in the Clinton Hill
section that were more like athletic clubs. There was the Cheyennes
(my gang), The Kingsmen, The Pontiacs, The Sarcacens and The Saxons
to name just a few I can remember off-hand.
Many of us, like you, became law enforcement officers.
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