True Crimes of Black Hand New York
True Crimes of Black Hand New York
Podcast Description
Hosted by Oscar and Emmy-winning documentarian Anthony Giacchino, "True Crimes of Black Hand New York" investigates the life, times and 1909 murder of pioneering Italian immigrant Detective Joe Petrosino, assassinated in Sicily while on a secret NYPD mission to uncover the flow of Italian criminals into America.As the leader of the NYPD’s elite Italian Squad, Petrosino confronted the Black Hand—a method of extortion among Italian criminals marked by fear and violence that preyed on Italian immigrant communities. Was a Black Hand gang behind Petrosino's murder, or is there more to the story?In an era when the press led the charge against Italian immigration, with editorials in the New York Times declaring, “Altogether, we do not want them … we have too many bad Italians already” (August 25, 1904), Petrosino not only fought crime in NYC’s Little Italy, but also challenged the stereotypes that vilified his community.This podcast weaves together true crime and historical inquiry, exploring the forces that shaped Petrosino’s world, work, and untimely death. Through original storytelling, conversations with historians, descendants, and filmmakers who have shaped how Italians and Italian Americans are represented, discover a story where history, crime, and pop culture converge.https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCrimesofBlackHandNewYork
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast delves into themes of immigration, crime, and cultural representation, exploring the life of Detective Joe Petrosino, the Black Hand extortion methods, and stories of figures like Raffaele Cascone. Episodes include investigations into significant historical events, such as Petrosino's murder and the implications of crime on immigrant communities, alongside personal narratives from descendants.
Hosted by Oscar and Emmy-winning documentarian Anthony Giacchino, “True Crimes of Black Hand New York” investigates the life, times and 1909 murder of pioneering Italian immigrant Detective Joe Petrosino, assassinated in Sicily while on a secret NYPD mission to uncover the flow of Italian criminals into America.
As the leader of the NYPD’s elite Italian Squad, Petrosino confronted the Black Hand—a method of extortion among Italian criminals marked by fear and violence that preyed on Italian immigrant communities.
Was a Black Hand gang behind Petrosino’s murder, or is there more to the story?
In an era when the press led the charge against Italian immigration, with editorials in the New York Times declaring, “Altogether, we do not want them … we have too many bad Italians already” (August 25, 1904), Petrosino not only fought crime in NYC’s Little Italy, but also challenged the stereotypes that vilified his community.
This podcast weaves together true crime and historical inquiry, exploring the forces that shaped Petrosino’s world, work, and untimely death. Through original storytelling, conversations with historians, descendants, and filmmakers who have shaped how Italians and Italian Americans are represented, discover a story where history, crime, and pop culture converge.
In Part 2 of Raffaele Cascone’s story, we dive deeper into the life of the “King of Mulberry Street.” Joanne Sperando, Cascone’s great-granddaughter, returns to share more about her notorious ancestor. The tale follows Raffaele, his brother Domenico, and two blood-related families—the Siniscalchis and the Santaniellos. After Domenico is publicly humiliated by these families, the fallout lands Raffaele back in jail on new murder charges—drawing unexpected support from infamous and wealthy figures, even as a vendetta threatens to bring it all crashing down.
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