The Purple Gang was to Detroit what Al Capone and his gang were to Chicago. One characteristic of this group that made it quite unique was that it was the only Jewish crime organization to completely control the criminal underworld of a major American city. From the late 1920s until their demise in the early 1930s their members were the leaders of the city's underworld. While other American Jewish gangsters worked within cross-ethnic alliances, the Purple Gang dominated Detroit entirely on its own.
The next Encore Film, The Purple Gang will be shown on the big screen in the beautiful theater, The Berman Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, February 12th at 7:30 pm. Special guest speaker will include writer, producer and director, H.G. Manos.
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The Purple Gang Film with Writer and Producer H.G. Manos
West Bloomfield See map
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mindy February 12, 2013 at 05:52 pm
Sorry i cant attend. I like hearing about the Purple Gang history. My Great Aunt was married to one of the members i remember my mother telling me some family history about the gang.
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Karena Kaminski February 12, 2013 at 09:28 pm
Wish I could attend,also. My late Dad was born in 1915 & earned extra money for his family by unloading the boats of booze from Windsor & "running errands" between the blind pigs. He told me that he began working for them when he was about 11 or 12 as did a lot of young boys....times were hard in the city & as he put it " I couldn't stand in another soup & bread handout line". He always said the "Purple Jews " kept him & my Grandma from starving until his Dad got to America & got a job.
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