Guide to Gangsters, Murderers and Weirdos of New York City's Lower East Side
New York's Lower East Side is the birthplace of everything from organized crime to anarchist movements. In the nineteenth century, an influx of struggling immigrants seeking opportunity met the harsh realities of industrialization. Poverty and squalor fueled a vicious battle for power and political clout. Local historian Eric Ferrara reveals the wicked history of America's most infamous neighborhood, where the abounding graffiti is a testament to the soul and spirit of the slum.
Eric Ferrara, Rob Hollander
Eric Ferarra is the founder and executive director of the Lower East Side History project, an award-winning nonprofit research organization. He also founded the East Village Visitor Center, as well as the first museum in America dedicated to gansterism. Ferrara is a popular public speaker, sits on a number of local boards and has consulted on numerous movie and television projects. A true product of the Lower East Side melting pot, Ferrara's ancestors arrived to New York City from Sicily (1880s), Ukraine (1909), Russia (1917) and Naples (1940s.) He is a fourth-generation native New Yorker and dedicated community activist. This is his second title as an author for The History Press.
