Stephanie St. Clair (1897-1969) was known as The Numbers Queen of Harlem. A prominent racketeer and entrepreneur, she spent her life crafting her own mythology. For those of you tuning in for the first time, welcome! Here’s the deal: Every weekday, we highlight the stories of iconic women in history you may not know about, but definitely should. We’re talking about women from around the world and throughout history. Each month is themed. This month we’re talking about troublemakers–from women who made “good trouble” to women who thrived in illicit industries to villains in the truest sense of the word.
This month, we're talking about troublemakers–from women who made “good trouble” to women who thrived in illicit industries to villains in the truest sense of the word.
History classes can get a bad wrap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Sundus Hassan, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, and Ale Tejada. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.
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Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan and this is Womanica.
This month, we’re talking about Troublemakers. We’re covering stories from across the spectrum, from women who made “good trouble” to women who thrived in illicit industries to villains in the truest sense of the word. All of the women we’re covering had a major impact on the societies in which they lived.
Women, just like men, have played good and bad roles in human history. To gloss over women who we may find less than inspiring is to accept a diminished and inaccurate place in the historical record.
Today’s troublemaker was a prominent racketeer and entrepreneur. She spent her life crafting her own mythology. We’re talking about The Numbers Queen of Harlem, Stephanie St. Clair.
Much of what we know about Stephanie St. Clair’s early life is murky. And that, it seems, is on purpose.
One story is that she was born in Guadeloupe, a series of Caribbean islands.
Another is that she’s originally from Martinque. Some even say she was born in France.
In the summer of 1911, Stephanie boarded a ship bound for Canada. She was either 13… or 23. It’s not clear what Stephanie did there, but the next year, in 1912, she got on another ship. This one was going to New York City.
By the mid-1920s, Stephanie had become the head of a thriving numbers business in Harlem. Though, yet another mystery of her life is how she made enough money to start her gambling empire in the first place.
In an era when banks often denied Black Americans loans, illegal lotteries were seen as an investment opportunity. As potentially fruitful -- and risky -- as playing the stock market.
Here’s how it worked:
Every day, the New York Clearing House, which functioned as something of a central bank in the city, would release its numbers.
People would place small bets on numbers between 1 and 999. Lottery organizers would then find the winning number based on two figures: The daily clearance among member banks, and the Federal Reserve Bank credit.
The next day, the game reset -- new bets, and a new winning number.
By 1931, Stephanie was known throughout the city, famous for her fashion sense, her business savvy -- and her habit of taking out ads in the New York Amsterdam News.
This message ran below a full-page photo of herself:
To Whom It May Concern: I have received letters and telephone messages from men which have annoyed me very much and I take this occasion to ask them publicly to please not annoy me. I, Mme. St. Clair, am not looking for a husband or a sweetheart. If they do not stop annoying me, I shall publish their names and letters in the newspaper.”
Stephanie controlled the narrative -- literally.
She was also a staunch advocate for the Black community. So when the Great Depression hit, and white gangsters set their sights on Black lottery bankers, Stephanie refused to back down. It was war.
Dutch Schultz, a Bronx native, was a violent bootlegger with tons of connections. He was known for killing anyone who got in the way -- but when Stephanie heard that he was gunning for her business, she reportedly said,
“[I’m not] afraid of Dutch Schultz or any other living man...I will kill Schultz if he sets foot in Harlem. He is a rat. The policy game is my game.”
Stephanie organized the other Black bankers, smashing any white-owned businesses that took bets for Schultz. She took to the newspapers, too, buying ads urging folks in Harlem to “bet Black.” Schultz retaliated by kidnapping and murdering Stephanie’s men. He also put a hit on her directly, forcing her to go into hiding.
When Schultz was ultimately shot by another gangster in 1935, Stephanie sent a signed telegram to his deathbed: “As ye sow, so shall you reap.”
Over the next year, Stephanie, nearing 40, began to step away from her business. She turned her attention to another goal: marriage.
In 1936, Stephanie entered into a marriage by contract with Bishop Amiru Al-Mu-Minin Sufi Abdul Hamid. It wasn’t a legal marriage, but the contract gave them a one-year trial period to decide whether to continue their relationship. . Hamid was a local labor organizer and religious leader 10 years her junior, Hamid claimed he was born in the shadow of the Egyptian pyramids, and often styled himself in a cape and turban. In truth, he was born Eugene Brown in Lowell, Massachusetts. The relationship didn’t last long.
In 1938, Stephanie fired three gunshots at her husband after catching him cheating. She only grazed him, and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Stephanie’s story goes from murky to opaque after that. Though, it was reported that despite rumors of poverty and mental illness, she spent the rest of her life advocating for Black communities. Albeit, a bit more quietly.
Stephanie St. Clair reportedly died in New York City in 1969.
All month, we’re talking about troublemakers and villains.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.