Harlem Drug Kingpin Frank Lucas Dies at 88
By Ibn Safir
Harlem kingpin Frank Lucas, who inspired the 2007 feature film American Gangster with Denzel Washington, has died.
According to CBS News, Lucas passed Thursday in New Jersey. He was 88.
Raised in North Carolina, Lucas found his way to New York in the 1960s, eventually becoming a major drug trafficker based out of Harlem, known for supplying especially formidable packages of heroin.
Lucas, who mugged drunks as a boy, moved to Harlem after witnessing the Ku Klux Klan murder his cousin, an incident that Lucas claims began his life of crime in earnest. Lucas would soon find himself under the tutelage of Harlem kingpin Bumpy Johnson before a heart attack ended that crime figure’s life. After murdering a prominent local drug dealer, Lucas would pick up where Johnson left off, earning more than $1 million a day by his own calculation.
The one-time owner of office buildings in Detroit and a cattle ranch in North Carolina, he regularly rubbed elbows with Muhammad Ali and James Brown.
Lucas is credited with the creation of the infamous “Golden Triangle” of the 1970s. Lucas claimed he imported heroin from Southeast Asia in the coffins of American soldiers killed in Vietnam.
“Who the hell is gonna look in a dead soldier’s coffin,” Lucas told New York Magazine in 2000. “We had him make up 28 copies of the government coffins, except we fixed them up with false bottoms, big enough to load up with six, maybe eight kilos.”
According to the Associated Press, Lucas associate Leslie Atkinson, an on-again, off-again supplier for the operation, arranged for the drugs to be shipped in furniture, not caskets.
When it all came crashing down in 1975, Lucas was convicted of federal drug charges and sentenced to 70 years in prison. He served seven after providing information that led to the convictions of his associates and peers. He was released in 1982, convicted in 1984 on a fresh set of drug charges, and released again in 1991.
Lucas is survived by four daughters, Francine Lucas-Sinclair and Ruby, Betty and Candace Lucas; two sons, Frank Jr. and Tony Walters; along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mattie Lassiter and Emma Moye; and three brothers, Ezell, Lawrence and LeVon Lucas.
His wife, Julie, and another son, Ray, died before him.
Source: theroot.com and photo credit yahoo.com
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As September 13th rolls around, we extend our warmest birthday wishes to the creative powerhouse, Tyler Perry, a man whose indomitable spirit and groundbreaking work have left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment. With his multifaceted talents as an actor, playwright, screenwriter, producer, and director, Tyler Perry has not only entertained but also inspired audiences worldwide, particularly within the African-American community, where his influence and role have been nothing short of powerful. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1969, Tyler Perry’s journey to stardom was a path riddled with adversity. Raised in a turbulent household, he found refuge in writing, using it as a therapeutic outlet. This period of introspection gave rise to one of his most iconic creations, Madea, a vivacious, no-nonsense grandmother who would later become a beloved figure in Perry’s works, offering a unique blend of humor and profound life lessons. Despite facing numerous challenges, including rejection and financial struggles, Perry’s determination and unwavering belief in his abilities propelled him forward. In 1992, he staged his first play, “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” which, although met with limited success, was a pivotal moment in his career. Unfazed by initial setbacks, Perry continued to hone his craft, and by 1998, he had successfully produced a string of stage plays that showcased his storytelling prowess.
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