Jacqueline S. Jackie Wright September 11, 1953- July 9, 2020 (66 years old) Cincinnati, Ohio FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmail address Funeral arrangement under the care of Neidhard Young Funeral Home Add a photo View condolence Solidarity program Authorize the original obituary FollowShareShareEmailPrint Edit this obituary By her own reckoning, Not all that glitters is gold. They focused on drugs because loansharking and numbers were not big moneymakers. She started the Thelma Wright Foundation to empower women and at-risk teens. Because one wrong decision can change your life forever.. But life in the game was not what she bargained for. WebWright left the show in 1983 owing to poor health, although previously unaired footage of him in sketches filmed in previous years was incorporated into new Benny Hill shows up After Jackies death in August of the same year, she continued his supply chain, operating her business cross-country. It gives me an opportunity to see some of the destruction behind things that I had done," she stated about her work in recent years. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003. Jackie is related to Sean A Wright and Saletta Wright as well as 3 additional people. Send2Press is an online newswire service of Neotrope and is a U.S. registered trademark and service mark. That's it. Many members were transported to and from meetings while blindfolded by more powerful members to avoid compromising the secrecy of the location. In 1989, Wright took up residency at the Jersey house and enrolled Jackiem at a prestigious private school in South Jersey. In September 1974, 21 members and group affiliates were arrested in an early morning raid by federal drug agents and the Justice Department's crime strike force. So thats why its so important for me now to work in prison reform.. They allegedly resented Lang's control over Pendergrass' lucrative music career. The organization began as a small criminal collective, known for holding up neighborhood crap games and dealing in the illegal drug business, but at its height of operation in the early 70s until about the early 1980s, it managed to consolidate power and control a large portion of criminal activity in various African-American neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley (i.e. She met her husband, Jackie Wright - a drug kingpin, in the City of Brotherly Love in 1977 and found him dead in the same city in 1986. I think I was caught at a vulnerable time with my husbands death and that position being dropped in my lap. Proud to be a 100% U.S. company. [citation needed] JBM has sought to expand its drug trafficking profits by offering independent narcotic dealers membership in the JBM. Article Title: Thelma Wright Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/crime/thelma-wright, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: August 17, 2020, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. Memorial donations Thelma could empathize with these women. 35+ years experience helping clients get real media coverage. The Black Mafia also carried out the Dubrow Furniture Store robbery. Life changed dramatically almost overnight. Jackie Wright. 4:42 Diana Darvey feat. The couple had a child, a son they named Jackiem, in 1982. In 2011, she decided to face the life she left behind once again to write atell-all memoircalled With Eyes on Both Sides: Living My Life In and Out of the Game. And now Ive had an opportunity to see the destruction that the drugs beget.. My mission is to help at-risk pre-teens and teenagers understand and maintain their self-worth. I care about the present and future of our communities, especially our African-American communities. Thelmas will to play the dangerous drug game evaporated. "[citation needed] Members could move up in the chain of command according to certain established criteria. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Jackie L Wright to pay them a last tribute. Wright decided to finally come clean in 2011 by publishing a memoir, With Eyes From Both Sides - Living My Life In and Out of the Game. Jackie was a proud Colorado native from Aurora, Colorado. LCN member Raymond "Long John" Martorano. Members participated in holding up crap games, extorting drug dealers, and working as numbers men and illegitimate businessmen. The eight criminals fled the scene as soon as the fire alarm went off, purposefully trampling on one of the victim's bodies as they left. She was able to walk-away from drug trafficking and to rebuild her life. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. approaches, weve partnered with Starz to highlight stories of real-life crime bosses whose motivations were tangled up in love. The "Black Mafia" was formed to coordinate and consolidate historic inner-city crime in numbers, prostitution, and extortion of legitimate businesses, while combining with the rising drug demand in Philadelphia. For example, JBM advisor Michael Youngblood used LCN connections to obtain cocaine and methamphetamine for his drug trafficking operation. Jacqueline Wright. One associate of the JBM described the roles of the three founders: "Aaron Jones was obsessed with the movie, The Godfather. For two years, Thelma was bicoastal until the death of her dear from Auntie in August 1991 when she left the business for good. Mary J. Blige arrives at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 23, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Robinson, as informant, states that he feared for his family as Black Mafia influence grew. Coined as Phillys Gangster Queen, Thelma has been featured on the series Gangsters: Americas Most Evil. It is a 'no win.' Shot in a parking lot at 3700 Brown St. in Philadelphia for cheating Tyrone "Fat Ty" Palmer on the Richard "Red Paul" Harris narcotics deal. This is what youre going to do to take care of your son. The Black Mafia used formalized meetings, and legal incorporated nonprofits as cover, and imposed a hierarchy on its members in an attempt to create discipline among members. The Boss Lady carefully calculated each move. Crime stories usually serve as cautionary tales that warn the general population to stay on the right side of the law. I just felt like a woman who had finally come into her own, and I was able to control my own life and do the things that I wanted to do. Control her life, she did -- during her reign, she orchestrated the transport of cocaine and heroin between Philadelphia and Los Angeles by utilizing her late husbands business ties. PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Feb. 10, 2022 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) It has been well over a decade since Thelma Wright, once reputed to be one of the most dangerous and powerful Black women in Philadelphia, came to the forefront and shocked the nation with true confessions in her memoir, With Eyes From Both Sides Living My Live In and Out of the Game. As the wife of Jackie Wright, a legendary heroin dealer in the city, Wright was intricately connected with the Black Mafia, a gang that operated Phillys drug trade throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s. Jackie exposed Thelma to the exhilarating drug game and all of the luxuries that came with it. Shot to death by Charles Russell, under contract by George "Bo" Abney, over a drug territory dispute. [1][2] At the time, Hill was ending his stint with the BBC, and starting a 20-year relationship with Thames Television. She expanded the operations that transported cocaine and heroin between Philadelphia and Los Angeles alongside Auntie and a new boyfriend called D whom she met at a Las Vegas Fight Night. The money was goodvery good. For their safety, Jackie moved his family to Los Angeles, but stayed in Philadelphia to oversee the business, asking Auntie to watch after them. Philadelphia's Black Mafia: A Social and Political History. Once all were inside, they pulled guns on the twenty employees present and forced them to lie on the floor in the back of the store where they bound them with tape and electrical cord. The JBM was conceived in 1986 and "born" in 1987 as an organization dedicated to exploiting the seemingly limitless profit potential created by the crack epidemic. Thelma Wrights ascension within an industry dominated by men earned her the title of gangster queen in the City of Brotherly Love. . Jackie C. Wright 75, of Flagler Beach, Florida passed away peacefully at her home with her family by her side on August 27, 2018. Yes, simply like this page on facebook or search Obituary in Philadelphia on facebook. The difficulty in obtaining evidence to successfully prosecute the crime fomented a breakdown by Khaalis as he sought to draw attention to the case of his murdered family, eventually resulting in the 1977 Hanafi Siege. But Thelma pressed on and eventually found financial stability working in real estate. She especially tailors her message to teenage girls who may be on the cusp of the very life Thelma found herself in. [1], Wright left the show in 1983 owing to poor health, although previously unaired footage of him in sketches filmed in previous years was incorporated into new Benny Hill shows up to 1985. Tyrone "Fat Ty" Palmer, "Mr. Millionnare". Christian called a meeting, ostensibly for the purpose of mediating a dispute between the JBM and rival narcotics networks. The adults and one child were shot while the other children were drowned. For years, she stayed quiet out of the public eye and kept quiet about her past. Before James could be brought back from jail in New York City, where he had been arrested for murder on November 23, 1969, he died of a drug overdose. in North Philadelphia for cheating James "P.I." As time went onI understand more so now why he couldnt [let it go], Wright says. Such is the case in the Starz original series, , where a drug kingpin and the U.S. district attorney make for deliciously tumultuous, modern-day star-crossed lovers. On January 18, 1973, the mafia murdered seven Sunni Muslims. He likely also wisely feared the inevitable investigation into the use of the funds. Then they confirmed her worst fear. As usual, several Black Mafia leaders participated in the game. The JBM attempted by Clarence Starks. - IMDb Mini Biography It was for survival, Wright says. By 2011, she came clean in her book, and later launched the Thelma Wright Foundation, which benefits at-risk women and teen girls. Shot by Larris "Tank" Frazier over a territorial dispute in the Richard Allen Projects. Decapitated after the Black Mafia put out a hit on him for skimming narcotics proceeds from Thomas "Cadillac Tommy" Farrington's former drug distribution network. She also maneuvered differently than her husband. As the wife of Jackie Wright, a legendary heroin dealer in the city, Wright was intricately connected with the Black Mafia, a gang that operated Phillys drug trade I'm a general assignment breaking news reporter. Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Teddy Pendergrass: sex, drugs and the tragic life of the Black Elvis, National Criminal Justice Reference Service, "Allah Behind Bars: Even La Cosa Nostra members fear the Nation of Islam in jail", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Black_Mafia&oldid=1139603479, Articles that may contain original research from May 2018, All articles that may contain original research, Articles lacking in-text citations from May 2018, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Pages using infobox criminal organization with ethnicity or ethnic makeup parameters, Pages using infobox criminal organization with rivals parameter, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 1968 to early 1980s before being split into factions; reformed in 1986 as Junior Black Mafia. She took over his drug business and made a name for herself as a woman who rose to the top of a mans industry. She regularly tours to speak at high schools and works with juvenile justice services where she stresses education over incarceration. If she can help keep other young people from starting a criminal life, she will have achieved her purpose. He is best known for being the bald-headed sidekick of Benny Hill on his television programme for fifteen years. Black Brothers, Inc.: The Violent Rise and Fall of Philadelphia's Black Mafia. Dont miss the other articles about. After taking a trip to Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, I discovered a group of people who fell in love with life overseas. In the early 1930s, when the Great Depression took hold, Wright returned to Belfast and then began working in the field of entertainment, first as a musician and then as a supporting comedian. Those I had a chance to speak to the woman behind the legend and hear first-hand about her incredible journey. Potential members had to be recommended by an original member and approved by the board. Yes, simply click Add a photo located underneath the main photo of the obituary then upload the photos/videos you wish to share. Shot in a bar at 17th and Dauphin sts. had established drug networks in various parts of the city. Born on December 26, 1931 in Helena, TN. After Thelmas husband, You're not going to win. Some associates joined voluntarily, hoping to maximize their drug profits. A premiere date has not yet been announced. It was a lot of money in that." She recognized the driver by reputation: Jackie Wright was a top heroin wholesaler connected to the street gang, the Black Mafia. Her friend was killed in a shootout, her associate was arrested and sent to prison and a month later her connect was executed by a rival gang. Shot to death with Palmer while serving as his bodyguard. Blige will serve as an executive producer on the upcoming series Philly Reign, which is inspired by the life of South Philadelphia native Thelma Wright. Wright became involved in drug trafficking following the murder of her husband, Howard Jackie Wright, a former Black Mafia member and major drug dealer One organization included Black B. Inc. Their aim was to put an end to gang activity in the African-American community. Yet one violent summer night changed everything: Jackie got shot. See Photos. She worked twice as hard to get half as far and was passed up for raises and promotions. Information is believed accurate, as provided by news source or authorized agency, however is not guaranteed, and you assume all risk for use of any information found herein/hereupon. I try to give our young women something to think about -- consider your options. Ive been distributing the drugs and Ive been involved in that upper echelon of drug dealing, Wright told HuffPo in 2017. He saw himself as being the 'Godfather' and Leonard Patterson as 'Sonny.' JBM members shared considerable knowledge of the clients and the workers of each other's networks. When he was getting high, he could be abusive at times, Wright says. The Strike Force concluded the overdose was arranged to "ensure his silence in a Black Mafia related assault case". Unlike her husband, she didnt have people who worked for her, she just had people that she supplied. In January 1986, Wright fled to Los Angeles at Jackies request fearing of threats for her safety from rival traffickers. to organize under a single umbrella with networks in North, North Central, Northwest, and Southwest Philadelphia. I dont know if anything was coming out because I couldnt hear anything . "I am a mother to some, I am grandmother to the kids. He was predeceased by : his parents, Marvin Wright and Imogene Wright (Jones); Allegedly formed in September 1968 by Samuel Christian, who later adopted the name Suleiman Bey under the Nation of Islam, the Black Mafia was heavily involved in a large part of drug trafficking in Philadelphia during the 1970s, with heroin being the most trafficked drug. The oath also swore to report any violations of the oath under risk to family and other members. Curiously, Williams was absent from his own crap game. Whats even more amazing than her incredible story is Thelma herself, who believes more than anything that women have the power to change their lives at any turn. Its not the same as for men. Get away. Born in Chicago, Illinois to the late James and Irene Cwick, Jackie earned her degree from Wright Junior College in Chicago. Later on I found out that they could actually smell the decomposing body, she says. Copr. "Cutty (Shamsud-din Ali's nickname, short for "cutthroat" for beating a murder rap of a well-known Reverend) be walking with kings," the dealers lamented. At the time, she felt compelled to continue the life she had been accustomed to living. Jackie discovered that one of his rivals had hatched a plot to kidnap Thelma and little Jackiem. A new drama series detailing the story of a former Philadelphia drug queenpin is coming to USA Network, courtesy of R&B star Mary J. Blige. She previously discussed her time in the illegal drug trade in her 2011 book, With Eyes from Both Sides: Living My Life In and Out of the Game, which serves as source material for the upcoming TV series. But without the lucrative drug trade to support herself, Thelma had to look for full-time work. Story Reads as of 2023-03-01 10:54:23: 2,170 views, REFERENCES: Consulting and Coaching News, Thelma Wright Empowerment Program, Mentoring | ID:78892. the Philadelphia Metro Area), including South Jersey (especially Atlantic City and Camden), Chester, and Wilmington. The mafia organized three different community service projects as a front to their criminal activity during their control. In her memoir, , Thelma describes how she didnt just fall in love with Jackie, she leapt., Thelma Wright was very unlike most drug traffickersvery religious, very athletic. The JBM espoused an amalgam of characteristics which purposely emulated LCN and Black Mafia control over organized crime and its fondness for symbols and ceremony. Hoping to maximize their drug profits `` Aaron Jones was obsessed with the,..., he could be abusive at times, Wright took up residency at the Jersey house and Jackiem! Herself in that position being dropped in my lap JBM has sought to expand its drug profits! 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