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Leroy "Nicky" Barnes (1933- )

Born Leroy Nicholas Barnes on October 15, 1933, in Harlem, New York was one of the most powerful New York drug dealers of the 1970s.  His career as a drug lord began in 1965 when he was imprisoned for heroin consumption. While in New York Green Haven Penitentiary he met the Italian mafia leader “Crazy” Joe Gallo.  After both were released, Gallo helped Barnes form a mass drug-dealing organization. Despite “Crazy” Joe Gallo’s murder on April 7, 1972, Leroy “Nicky” Barnes continued to expand his business. During this period Barnes acquired the nicknamed “Mr. Untouchable” as New York City police attempts to charge him for his crimes always failed because of absence of evidence or unreliable witnesses.  By 1973, Barnes gather together the main drug kingpins in New York City to form for the first time a city-wide organization called “the Council.” Modeled on the similar Italian mafia organizations, the aim of this council was to bring order to the drug dealing market by r...

PHYLLIS LINDA HYMAN (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995)

Phyllis Hyman was born in  Philadelphia ,  Pennsylvania , and grew up in  St. Clair Village , the  South Hills  section of  Pittsburgh . Born to an Italian mother, (Louise), and African-American father, (Phillip),  Hyman was the eldest of seven children. Through her paternal great-grandparents Ishmael and Cassandra (Cross) Hyman, she was also the first cousin once removed of actor  Earle Hyman  (best known for his recurring role on  The Cosby Show  as Cliff's father, Russell Huxtable). After leaving Pittsburgh, her music training started at a music school. On graduation, she performed on a national tour with the group New Direction in 1971. After the group disbanded, she joined All the People and worked with another local group, The Hondo Beat. At this time, she appeared in the film  Lenny  (1974). She also did a two-year stint leading a band called "Phyllis Hyman and the P/H Factor". She was discovered in 1975 by...

Iron Eyes Cody

(born  Espera Oscar de Corti  April 3, 1904 – January 4, 1999)  He was an American  actor  born in Louisiana. Going by the name of Iron Eyes Cody, he portrayed  Native Americans  in  Hollywood  films.  In 1996, his 100 percent  Italian  ancestry was confirmed by his half-sister.   Cody was born  Espera Oscar de Corti  on April 3, 1904, in  Kaplan  in  Vermilion Parish , in southwestern  Louisiana , a second son of Antonio de Corti and his wife, Francesca Salpietra, immigrants from  Sicily . He had two brothers, Joseph William and Frank Henry, and a sister Victoria. His parents had a local grocery store in  Gueydan , Louisiana, where he grew up. His father left the family and moved to  Texas , where he anglicized his name as Tony Corti. His mother married Alton Abshire and had five more children with him. When the three de Corti brothers were teenagers, they joined their...