The Original Black Gangsters of Boston 

Thank you for posting this. I was born n raised in Boston. My mother was a part of that great migration from the south. She (n my father) relocated from Memphis in the early 60’s. She worked at Boston Police Headquarters n later Charles St Jail. Pretty sure she ran into some of the people you talked about, just on the other side. I am obsessed with mob stories as well. Thank you for sharing your knowledge about our neighborhoods back in the day. I must say you were spot on with locations, n street names. I remember the old South End n how we saturated it in the 70’s. There were private discussions in our homes “not to sell”. Unfortunately a lot of families did. I watched the city rebuild The South End practically brick by brick. We lived on Symphony Road, early 70’s. I was only 9. I witnessed things that no child should ever see at such a young age. Overall I am very proud of the strides we have overcome as a city. The racial lines seemed to have disappeared and the millennials n generation Z are coming together. People who relocate here have no idea the tension we lived through back in the day.

Hey there, I'm a Southie guy with 20 years in, starting in Rozzy Secure DYS, then Walpole and various fed joints. You're hitting my two great loves, Boston history and Crime history. I was in Walpole for years with the son of one of the Campbell's, Al, good dude. Youre probably the first person I've seen who's telling the other side of Boston Crime history. I'm loving it.

My grandfather is Kenneth Guscott. He and my uncle’s owned allot of commercial properties. He was the NAACP President in Boston from 1965-1975

My God, so many good memories of living in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan as a Black person. Thank you for this great eye opening video.

Jason I was employed in LE for 41 years 1970-2012 working throughout the City of Boston. Just want to compliment you on your well-researched documentaries. An excellent episode on Black Gangsters. Often overlooked with a lot of historical references to the Irish and Italian gangsters.

I hate when I leave the state and people ask “they have black people in Boston?!”. Like really?!? You watch Celtics games and think Boston is majority white?! 😂😂 Boston is one of the most diverse cities in the US! I’ve met people from Iraq to Brazil To Morocco and so many other countries!

Thank you for putting out this video my father was Guido St Laurent and your story was pretty accurate to what I have been told in the past about my father's life and death

I read John Martorano autobiography, so immediately when I saw the title black gangsters of Boston, I knew Immediately you were talking about the Campbell Brothers, I'm a history Junkie too, just subscribed 👍🏾 💯

I can’t explain to you how grateful I am for this video. I’m always looking for stories on old Boston crime and I always get the same things ,like you said. I really this appreciate this one

My family was part of the great immigration to Boston, Mt Vernon, NY and White Plains, NY. In my neighborhood of Roxbury, all the families looked after the children. We owned our homes and looked after each other. People left their back doors unlocked!!!

The algorithms brought your channel to me. I enjoyed the video. Love your accent. You're informative the Black migration is awesome. Late 20's my family left Virginia and came to Scotch Plains NJ 25 miles from NYC. My great aunt was strong Black woman and she brought her sisters and brothers there. She never had children but she brought young Black women and worked in the garment district. Story has it she and her sister pulled out on Italian bootleggers. Auntie had a store and bought houses. I remember as a 5 year old I was in awe of her. Great channel. 👍🏿

WOW!! So happy that I ran across your channel. Since the time I was a teenager, I've been obsessed with mob and gangster stories. I had no idea my people had a mob presence in Boston of all places

Being a black man from Boston I appreciate this video living in the south now brings back memories.

Dorchester, South End, Roxbury… my neighborhood since ‘72. I love it! I tried Brockton, didn’t care for it too much. I ended up back in Roxbury. My parents migrated from the South, Georgia and N. Carolina to S. End.

I’m 60, the Campbells were my fathers friend. Everything u mentioned is true. Arnold lived across the street from me on Radcliffe Street for awhile. I played w his kid or kids. My father was very close to thier relative Ozzie. Thanks for sharing

I really enjoyed this documentary. My landlord is a old school player and came up with all these people. He told me stories about the sugar shack... When I first moved to Boston I wanted to work on Newbury street and couldn't get a job as a stylist... He sat me down and told me don't worry baby that street is where all of the ladies-of-the-night used to live it's a dump it's always has been a dump LOL.

Amazing documentary! I remember Old dudes talking about the Campbells & others. Great content & informative.

This was a good piece of history.. Im from Dorchester, Codman Square specifically.. my mother's family is from South Carolina and moved to Warren Gardens in the late 60's then to a home on C Road in the 70's.. my father's family is from Jamaica and moved to Erie St in the early 80's then Havelock St in the late 80's and ran that Woodrow Area.. it'd be great if we had more BLACK Boston history available to showcase to the country/ world. People dont know that Boston is minority-majority city and after you cross Mass Ave theres not that many white people around.

I’m from Mission Hill, you’re bringing back memories. Thanks for sharing. Be well.

New sub, been on this platform for while and thankful to finally come across Anotha local channel. Love history esp our local history. Great vid kid, respect

This is awesome! I'm born and raised in Boston and I didn't know this about Black gangsters. You educated me! Definitely subscribes to your channel. I love history and I learned something. Thank you!

Your love of history resonates throughout this video. I don't even know where to start but those Campbell bros were bad mother -f's. Peruvian marching powder i love it. Best video to date Jason. 40 minutes which flew by like 4 mins. Really well done. Enjoy yet another rainy weekend. Keep em coming and thank you.

I have no idea how I got to your channel, but I sure am glad I did. Really great stuff.

Loving these videos bro! Keep up the dope work 💪🏻

Southie native here, just found this channel for the first time. Interesting, can’t wait to see what else you have. I lived in Southie when whitey was still around. Met him a few times, he bought me chips. I miss the old neighborhood.

Outstanding piece. I’m a child born in the early 69’s remembering hearing the stories of the Sugar Shack. I also later met Billy Bass the original bass player of the funkadelics who talked about performing in the Sugar Shack when the group formed. Funny how life comes full circle and good to know who the petty criminals fell under.

Jay my man idn how I randomly stumbled into your RU-vid page. This is amazing. Good work brother!

I don't know how I stumbled on this video but I'm glad I did because I enjoyed it, and it educated me on the Black Gangster of Boston. Wow ruthless

You SLAYED with this video!!! Congrats!

Great job. You are a good historian and storyteller. Thanks.

Dude tells this story like I like it. Like we are all at his kitchen table havin a beer and he is tellin us. Well done,Sir!!

You did a great job on this video! Thank you🙏🏾

Thank you for your unbiased research in history your appreciated much love from west Africa 🌍

From David A. Wood: I thank you very much for exhibiting this very entertaining Organized Crime documentary about Boston's African-American (Black) underworld. Mind you, my expression of serious gratitude is not merely coming your way just because the historical city of Boston is still one of my favorite American metropolises. Getting back to the subject at hand, usually when Boston's colorful, late 20th Century gangster culture is discussed in documentaries of this nature, the more noteworthy and ethnically Irish and Italian portions of that city's active underworld are always discussed instead. This is even though the city of Boston has always had an established Black American community that has existed since the 18th Century, and as such, there was also a notoriously active Organized Criminal subculture that has fully operated, and still does in the present day, within the larger African-American community, a community that is still located in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood.

Thank you for making this video. My daughter attended Northeastern University in Boston. I had heard about the neighborhood of Roxbury but not the complete History. Thank you

From a bostonian point of view your channel is 🔥 well organized time line of events real names and places just spectacular this is what our city needs I feel like nit much is known about this immaculate place so much history especially in the hood these people's names mist be known for that they helped shaped today God bless the city of boston ♥

I knew Arnold and his younger brother “Soupy”, and their sister Dotty. They treated me kindly as I was in trouble with the law as a young teenager and they had changed their lives and helped many young people like myself. The Sugar Shack was located on Boylston Street not far from the area known as the Combat Zone. Roxbury was vastly different then, there’s hardly anything that would remind anyone of that period of time except a few old heads like myself who grew up there.

You don't have brothers like that no more the black man from the 1960s and 50s was strong Brothers Brothers today diluted great videos salute to the brothers in Boston from the 1960 👍💯

Being born an raised from boston thanks so much for this video love it. ❤

Im from Worcesta...born and bred. Sometimes proud...sometimes not so much. I started watchin this and as soon as I heard ROXBURY it woke me up and sent me right back to my childhood. Watchin the 5:00 News on Chnl 5 with Chet and Nat. Waitin to see what the Weatha was gonna be tmrw. And a lot of the time they had a story about the Blacks in Roxbury. They were NOT always Bad stories. But boy did this wake me up for a minute!!

He’s coming with the 🔥 as usual

Good history dive, different approach! Well appreciated

Good video thanks. My ears perked up when you mentioned Swedes in Boston. My great grandfather was a Swedish immigrant who settled in Boston. My grandfather was an ironworker who moved to Brooklyn because New York had more work.

Yes, Jason!Great work!!

Thanks for making this I asked u like a month back to make a video about black ogs in boston well u did It thanks again my man 💯

Oh wow what a great video really enjoyed it 😊thx for sharing... smiles

You definitely got a new subscriber bro born and raised in Roxbury if you really dive deep its a lot of history and violence im glad today it's way calmer than back then salute

I was a teenager in Roslindale in the late seventies, the place was literally flooded with PCP. I'm surprised anyone survived those days. A lot kids didn't, including my brother.

I'm 40 and was born and raised in Roxbury right up the street from Malcom x's house on Humboldt ave.Great video!

Thanks for an excellent video and i appreciate the research that you do. So if the Campbell brothers knew Martorano does that mean that they knew Steve Flemmi and the other Winter hill mobsters? Have a great weekend Jason.

Yo, this is pretty good, you should do some research on Cool Carl Robinson born in 1923 his father is Christopher Robinson, the first black man to run in the Boston Marathon, and one of the first families to move into the JP Projects on Heath St. and Parker. Cool Carl had 21 kids 17 boys and 4 girls. In the mid 1940’s Cool Carl bought a Cab medallion and started running for the Italians in the northend. He(Cool Carl) was pass for white light black and that got him into the Northend and Southies Irish mafia. Cool Carl had all the gangsters and politicians even the heads of families from Boston to New York and Chicago feared the original “Ghost” he just recently passed away at the age of 96yrs old. He had numerous aliases but when you heard Ghost or Casper that was like mentioning the Grim Reaper himself. Oh and let’s not forget “He had never been pinched” Yes even the police feared this man and his son’s. The JP Robinsons. Cool Carl ran them projects from the mid 1940’s till early 2000’s. It was tragic how the family got taken out of the streets but nothin last forever. Fact

Good documentary bro, been living in boston for a good part of my life and this was awsome to know

This is an awesome documentary!

Roxbury native here! Thanks for the history! 💙

I Subbed you based off this alone and never saw any of your content before jus keepin ita buck 😂 About time someone shed some light here 👏🏾 I was Born in the Bean, raised here, and still here. And not the outskirts either, Dorchester. Appreciate this, Salutes to you Jason! 3's and B's /// 👌🏾 💯

Awesome Roxbury stories. I grew up in Roxbury and really appreciate how you touch on black Boston history. Very important. Did you know that houses on Beacon hill were only $1 to purchase back in the early to mid 1900’s? Also did you know Boston started out as a very small tiny piece of land smaller than a block right on the water at the Marriott vacation club pulse at custom house Boston? I encourage you to take a trip downtown to that hotel for they will give you a historical presentation tour of our rich soil. It was actually mind blowing.

Great and thorough coverage !!!

Buried Treasure! Good Looks! Boston Stand Up!!

moved to boston (JP) in 2003 at 6 years old. good times to be in the city during the 2000s. hasn't been the same since 2015

wow, i’m from mattapan & never knew this. thank you for sharing!

Im loving this. Thank you

Good video I grew up in dorchester I didn’t know all this

Thank you and great job!

Thank you for sharing this interesting information.

I was born in Boston city hospital in 1958 to an Irish woman and Cape Verdean man don't remember much but I lived in the south end until ma died in 64 went to an orphanage in Jamaica Plain for about 4yrs got out and lived in Dorchester that was rough I don't have many found memories but a I like you love history and thank you for this video and please post more and Thank You

Being a gangster is a dead end road that leads you to jail or the grave.

I was raised in Massachusetts. Your documentary is fascinating. I had only heard of the Irish mob. Given the state of the country, I doubt this history will make it into school curriculums.

Phenomenal story telling. Phenomenal!

Although I’m long gone from that city, I will “forever” be a Roxbury Martin Luther king blvd, Humboldt Ave , Warchester, Murderpan and Southend native. My home and stomping grounds. Can’t believe next to “no” African Americans own any property in the areas that I grew up in. ALL GENTRIFIED nowadays especially Fort hill…CRAZY..Oh…And Great informative documentary my guy 💯….

Hey, good video. Imagine from Detroit & the Black guy you have in this video from our city name is Frank Nitty Usher. I never knew that he was active in Boston. Good info!

BIG Up🙋🏻‍♀

You Do Great Work Broski

I liked it, You brought back a lot of fun memories. The Campbell brothers and Johnny Mortorano were close. Now there way a lot of things that you got that was wrong such as personal relationships. Johnny and Howie we would all sit down and gamble after the shacked closed. The owner of the shack was Rudy he also had a club un Miami. I was a part of the Cleveland crew.

I went to Boston in August and got a tour of Beacon hill, the guy pointed put John Kerry's place and said he saw him the past week. I also visited the African Meetinh house, it's such a beautiful urban enclave

Great video

Bro I really enjoyed this video. My family is from Boston. Been there for years and my grandfather was into summin. I dunno if it was racketeering or hustling but he was a well respected person an I been wanting to know more about it. Great video bro!

Great Video , thANK YOU!

EXCELLENT work. The case of Dorchester is very interesting. despite best efforts, the Mob (winter hill etc) `never quite gained control over dorchester,, where criminal activity was also burgeoning. . a very interesting situation to look in to. this is a great video. cheers!

Frank Usher was active in Boston??? Al Profit never mentioned this. Good work!

Dude, awesome video.

Thank you, Great history lesson👍✌️

Amazing video

Thanks! 😊🎉!

Good shit bro very interesting story!!

The Sugar Shack ! The Cotton Club of Boston ! Great video !

I know it’s no way the people of the 40s 50s and 60s couldn’t of ever imagined the fall of our nation we living in today.

Really interesting! Thanks for covering this.

I'm from Boston is the Best ❤

Thank you so much! I’m a biracial woman from Boston. My mom, being Italian from the north end, and my father being a black man from the south, but in late 50s settled in Roxbury.

I really liked seeing the shot of the Sugar Shack with "The Ambitions" on the marquee. Larry Woo R.I.P.

I love these stories from Boston that was a crazy ass City

Arnold Cambell joined the Nation of Islam and became a member of Temple No.11 on Intervale Street.

Awesome history lesson, thanks for this...

Interesting stuff, Trimbob!!!

I love New Edition.

You have to be from Boston? You did a great job with with this video unearthing these facts and information. My father was a pimp and playa in Bostons underworld knew the Cambell brother's and John Monterano. I met Monterano multiple times as a kid in and around Boston bars. My father would go pick up money and I'd sit at the bar drinking Shirley Temples and Monterano would rub my head and say "How's it going kid?" I had no clue he was a serial killa?!

Outstanding Job on the Video.

Great video, thank you

Thank you for this

That famous black family was Thenewedition crime family 😅 Still going strong to this day!