Legacy of the Purple Gang

Detroit Police mugshot of known Purple Gang members and two of the founding brother.

The Purple Gang had a significant impact on the development of organized crime in the United States. During the Prohibition era, they were one of the most powerful and influential criminal organizations in the country, and their tactics and strategies were adopted by other criminal groups in cities across the nation. Their legacy was also cemented in popular culture and finalized by the Lindbergh Kidnapping.² To summarize these past pages. The Purple Gang pioneered tactics of violence in organized crime, skyrocketing to power from the opportunities of prohibition. They paved the way for crime in Detroit underground and used their violence and money to take control of large parts of Detroit and the surrounding areas. Their Reputation for violence was passed on to the city of Detroit and stuck. Even as they faded out of power other gangs took up there mantle and used the very same tactics. Another Lasting effect from the gang was the increase in law enforcement that Detroit experienced. Law enforcement has been an integrated part of the city since the early days of prohibition but increased as a result of the gangs activity. These crimes are highlighted in the next source from the FBI and a Freedom of information act published in 2010.¹ Throughout this extensive file, we are able to see newspaper clippings, police interactions, and most importantly the evolution of the gang. The newspaper's feature talks extensively about the end years of the gang and how both jealousy and greed led to internal fighting and the ultimate fall of the organization. This document is critically important because it is the only source where the reader sees how much the FBI knew and how successful the gang was and how high of a profile they were during their heyday. 

Primary

¹“Purple Gang (Aka Sugar House Gang) Part 4 of 4.” FBI. FBI, December 6, 2010. https://vault.fbi.gov/Purple%20Gang%20%28aka%20Sugar%20House%20Gang%29/Purple%20Gang%20%28aka%20Sugar%20House%20Gang%29%20Part%204%20of%204/view

Secondary

²Robert Knapp Knapp, Robert. 2020. “Michigan and the Eaglet: The Lindbergh Kidnapping, Purple Gang, and Governor Wilber M. Brucker.” Michigan Historical Review 46 (2): 94–138. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=31h&AN=146955126.