Philadelphia's Black Mafia

"Griffin's research is mind-boggling, in the best sense. He has rendered Philadelphia and the United States a valuable historical document." (James Nicholson, former investigative reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer) "...an important contribution to the study of organized crime for two reasons. It removes a white spot on the map with respect to African-American organized crime, and at the same time it adds significantly to our knowledge of the overall crime picture in Philadelphia from the late 1960s through the mid 1980s." (Klaus von Lampe, European Consortium for Political Research) Philadelphia's 'Black Mafia' provides the first comprehensive analysis to date of Philadelphia's infamous "Black Mafia" which has organized crime (with varying degrees of success) in predominantly African-American sections of the city dating back to the late 1960's. Philadelphia's 'Black Mafia': uses primary source documents, including confidential law enforcement files, court transcripts and interviews; explores the group's activities in detail, depicting some of the most notorious crimes in Philadelphia's history; thoroughly examines the organization of the Black Mafia and the group's alliances, conspiracies and conflicts; and challenges many of the current historical and theoretical assumptions regarding organized crime. - Written by a former Philadelphia police officer. - Based on primary source documents, including thousands of confidential law enforcement files, court transcripts, and interviews. - Explores the "Black Mafia's" activities in detail, depicting some of the most notorious crimes in Philadelphia's history.

• Social History 1968–1974.- 1968–1972: The Origins of the Black Mafia.- 1973–1974: Murder and Infamy.- 1968–1974: Social Movements, Social Systems and the Black Mafia.- The Politics of Ignorance and the ART of Exploitation.- Research Methodology.- Social History, 1975–2002.- 1975–1984: Philadelphia’s Black Mafia on the Wane.- 1985–2002: Old Heads, Old Habits.- Criminology and the History of African-American Organized Crime.- Discussion: Contemporary Academic Perspectives on the Black Mafia and African-American Organized Crime.- Conclusions.