Yusef Kirriem Hawkins (also spelled as Yusuf Hawkins, March 19, 1973 – August 23, 1989) was a 16-year-old black teenager from the neighborhood of
East New York
East New York is a residential neighborhood in the eastern section of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City, United States. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are roughly the Cemetery Belt and the Queens borough lin ...
,
in the
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle Ag ...
of
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, who was shot to death on August 23, 1989, in
Bensonhurst
Bensonhurst is a residential neighborhood in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bordered on the northwest by 14th Avenue, on the northeast by 60th Street, on the southeast by Avenue P and 22nd ...
, a predominantly Italian-American working-class neighborhood in Brooklyn. Hawkins, his younger brother, and two friends were attacked by a crowd of 10 to 30 white youths, with at least seven of them wielding baseball bats. One, armed with a handgun, shot Hawkins twice in the chest, killing him.
In 2005, former
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Ame ...
member Joseph D'Angelo admitted that the killers were present at his request, meant to serve as protection for his property from an expected racially motivated situation, which instead created the situation.
Incident
Hawkins had gone to Bensonhurst that night with his brother and two of their friends to inquire about a used 1982
Pontiac Pontiac may refer to:
*Pontiac (automobile), a car brand
*Pontiac (Ottawa leader) ( – 1769), a Native American war chief
Places and jurisdictions Canada
*Pontiac, Quebec, a municipality
** Apostolic Vicariate of Pontiac, now the Roman Catholic D ...
automobile that was for sale. The group's attackers had been lying in wait for black youths that were expected to attend a party at the home of a teenage girl in the neighborhood. Some say the girl had previously dated one of the killers and/or she had invited black youths to her neighborhood to taunt the neighborhood boys. Hawkins and his friends walked onto the ambushers' block unaware that local residents were waiting to attack any group of black youths they saw. After the murder of Hawkins, police said that he had not in any way been involved with the neighborhood girl whom the killers believed Hawkins was dating.
Hawkins' death was the third killing of a black male by white mobs in New York City during the 1980s; the other two victims were
Willie Turks, who was killed on June 22, 1982, in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, and
Michael Griffith, who was killed in
Queens
Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
on December 20, 1986. The incident uncorked a torrent of racial tension in New York City in the ensuing days and weeks, culminating in a series of protest marches through the neighborhood led by the Reverend
Al Sharpton
Alfred Charles Sharpton Jr. (born October 3, 1954) is an American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, talk show host and politician. Sharpton is the founder of the National Action Network. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic ...
.
Trials
The two teenagers who led the mob that beat and chased Hawkins were tried separately. Joseph Fama, the man who fired the shots that killed Hawkins, was convicted of
second-degree murder on May 17, 1990. The other main defendant in the case, Keith Mondello, was acquitted on May 18, 1990 on murder and manslaughter charges, but convicted of 12 lesser charges including riot, menacing, discrimination, unlawful imprisonment and criminal possession of a weapon. The acquittal of Mondello on the most serious charges led to further protest marches through Bensonhurst led by Al Sharpton.
On June 11, 1990, sentences were handed down in the Hawkins case. 19-year-old Fama received a sentence of years to life in prison. Mondello, also 19, received a sentence of 5⅓ to 16 years in prison.
Other members of the gang that chased and beat Hawkins were tried as well. John Vento was convicted of unlawful imprisonment and received a sentence of 2 to 8 years in August 1990 and was released in 1998. A fourth man, Joseph Serrano, was convicted on the charge of unlawfully possessing a weapon and sentenced to 300 hours of
community service
Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performed ...
on January 11, 1991. The acquittal of Vento on a murder charge, and the light sentence handed out to Serrano, sparked more protests by the African-American community in Bensonhurst.
Shortly before that march was set to begin on January 12, 1991,
Al Sharpton
Alfred Charles Sharpton Jr. (born October 3, 1954) is an American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, talk show host and politician. Sharpton is the founder of the National Action Network. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic ...
was stabbed and seriously wounded by Michael Riccardi in a Bensonhurst schoolyard. Sharpton later recovered from his wounds. Riccardi was convicted of first-degree assault and sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison, despite a plea for leniency by Sharpton himself, who believed that distorted news coverage of his activities had influenced his attacker.
Keith Mondello was said to be the "instigator and organizer" of the group and served 8 years in prison. In 2005, former
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Ame ...
member and mob informer Joseph D'Angelo admitted that the group behind Yusuf's murder was there on his orders to attack any blacks who entered the neighborhood. He also admitted he lied to police and asked a woman who knew many details to not tell police.
Release of Mondello
After serving eight years in the
Attica Correctional Facility
Attica Correctional Facility is a maximum security campus New York State prison in the Attica (town), New York, Town of Attica, New York (state), New York, operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. It w ...
, Keith Mondello was released on June 2, 1998. On January 22, 1999, Mondello and Hawkins' father, Moses Stewart, met in a
NY1
NY1 (also officially known as Spectrum News NY1 and spoken as New York One) is an American cable news television channel founded by Time Warner Cable, which itself is owned by Charter Communications through its acquisition in May 2016. The channe ...
television studio, where Mondello apologized for his role in the killing. Stewart died at the age of 48 in 2003.
Fama is not eligible for parole until 2022, when he will be just over 50 years old.
Memorials and tributes
Art
*As of 2004, a faded mural painted soon after Hawkins' death was still visible on the side of a building on Verona Place in
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. It was repainted in August 2011 by street artist Gabriel Specter.
Film/TV
*
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...
's film ''
Jungle Fever
''Jungle Fever'' is a 1991 American romantic drama film written, produced and directed by Spike Lee. The film stars Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Lee, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Turturro, Frank Vincent, ...
'' (1991) is dedicated to the memory of Hawkins, and a photo of Hawkins appears at the beginning of the film.
* The 1998 film ''
Blind Faith
Blind Faith were an English supergroup featuring Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. They were eagerly anticipated by the music press following on the success of each of the member's former bands, including Clapton a ...
'' was dedicated to the memory of Hawkins.
*The
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
Documentary film ''Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn'' which premiered August 12, 2020, directed by Muta'Ali Muhammad, "tells the story of how 16-year-old Yusuf was ... killed on August 23, 1989, by an Italian mob in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, sparking protests and deep racial divide. The film was released on the 30th anniversary of this tragedy and features actual footage and interviews through archival footage to highlight the systemic racism that still exists today."
Music
*The lyrics for the song "Keep It in the Family" by
Anthrax
Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium ''Bacillus anthracis''. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The sk ...
, included on their 1990 album ''
Persistence of Time
''Persistence of Time'' is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Anthrax. It was released on August 21, 1990 through Megaforce Worldwide/Island Records and was nominated in 1991 for a Grammy Award in the Best Metal Performance ...
'', was inspired by this event.
* The 1990 song "
Welcome to the Terrordome "Welcome to the Terrordome" is a song by the American hip hop band Public Enemy, recorded for their 1990 album ''Fear of a Black Planet''. It was released as a single in January 1990, according to the discographer Martin C. Strong.
Critical recep ...
" by
Public Enemy
"Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe p ...
includes a dedication to Hawkins.
* The song "Intro" on the album 1990 ''
The Devil Made Me Do It
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' by
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
includes a sample from a news broadcast referencing the shooting.
* The song "The Gas Face (remix)" by
3rd Bass
3rd Bass was an American hip hop group that was active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Formed by MC Serch, Pete Nice, and DJ Richie Rich, the group was notable for being one of the first successful interracial hip hop acts. Along with Beast ...
refers to Hawkins in the second verse.
* The song "Slipping into Darkness" by
Queen Mother Rage was dedicated to Hawkins.
*
Kool G Rap
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as ...
&
DJ Polo
The Juice Crew was an American hip hop collective made up largely of Queensbridge, New York-based artists in the mid-to-late 1980s. Founded by radio DJ Mr. Magic, and housed by Tyrone Williams' record label Cold Chillin' Records, the Juice Cre ...
's hit single "
Erase Racism" (featuring
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968), better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hi ...
), from the 1990 album ''
Wanted: Dead or Alive'', references Hawkins, where Kane performs the second half of the song.
*
Brand Nubian
Brand Nubian is an American hip hop group from New Rochelle, New York, composed of three emcees (Grand Puba, Sadat X and Lord Jamar), and formerly three DJs (DJ Alamo, DJ Sincere, and DJ Stud Doogie). Their debut studio album, '' One for All'' ...
's "Concerto in X Minor," a song on their 1990 debut album, ''
One for All'', mentions Hawkins.
* The 1991 song "
Treat 'Em Right
"Treat 'Em Right" is a 1991 song by rapper Chubb Rock. The song samples "There Was a Time" by Dee Felice Trio and "Love Thang" by First Choice.
The song was originally released on the '' Treat 'Em Right'' EP released in late 1990, which charted ...
" by
Chubb Rock
Richard Simpson, also known as Chubb Rock (born May 28, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York) is a New York-based rapper who released several successful hip hop albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A National Merit Scholar, Chubb Rock dropped out o ...
refers to Hawkins in the first verse.
*
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the Li ...
wrote a poem about Hawkins' death, "For Mrs. Hawkins."
He also mentions him in the song "Tearz of a Clown" in the fourth verse.
*
Double X Posse
Double X Posse, also known as Double XX Posse, was an American 1990s hip hop group from Jersey City, New Jersey. Their debut album ''Put Ya Boots On'' (1992), spawned two successful singles. The first and most successful, titled "Not Gonna be Abl ...
mentions Hawkins on their first album ''
Put Ya Boots On
''Put Ya Boots On'', is the debut album by Double X Posse
Double X Posse, also known as Double XX Posse, was an American 1990s hip hop group from Jersey City, New Jersey. Their debut album ''Put Ya Boots On'' (1992), spawned two successful sing ...
'' (1992), on the album's second track "The Headcracker." The group provides a list of things that would be considered "headcrackers," or very shocking and upsetting. Among other things they mention, "Yusef Hawkins being murdered is a HEADCRACKER."
* The song "Snacks and Candy" (on the 1992 album ''
Drenched'') by the band
Miracle Legion
Miracle Legion was an American college rock band formed in 1983 in New Haven, Connecticut. They earned modest renown, especially in their native New England region, but also in the UK, where they were feted by music media such as '' NME'' and ''Me ...
was written about this event.
* The song "Wrong Pot 2 Piss In" by
The Goats
The Goats were an American alternative hip hop trio from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
History
The group (whose name, according to Swayzack, was chosen to join the word "scapegoats" and the saying "Don't get my goat," concluding that they felt t ...
on their 1992 debut album ''
Tricks of the Shade
''Tricks of the Shade'' is the debut album by American hip hop group the Goats. It was released on November 3, 1992 though Columbia Records sub-label, Ruffhouse Records and was produced by OaTie Kato and Joe "The Butcher" Nicolo.
Release
''Tri ...
'', includes the line: "My man
Rodney King
Rodney Glen King (April 2, 1965June 17, 2012) was an African American man who was a victim of police brutality. On March 3, 1991, he was beaten by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers during his arrest after a pursuit for driving whi ...
would love a swing / and if Yusuf Hawkins was walkin' he'd say the same thing".
* The song "White Nigger" by
Ill Bill
William Braunstein (born July 14, 1972), known by his stage name Ill Bill, is an American rapper and record producer from Brooklyn, New York City. Having gained fame in the underground hip hop group Non Phixion, Ill Bill is known for his diver ...
, released in 2008, includes the line: "Had newsmen talking as a kid about Yusef Hawkins / Same age as me when Joey Fama caught him walking through Bensonhurst"
* The song "Learn Truth" by
R.A. the Rugged Man
R.A. Thorburn, better known by his stage name R.A. the Rugged Man, is an American rapper and producer. He began his music career at age 12, building a reputation locally for his lyrical skills. Thorburn signed with major label Jive Records at ...
, released in 2013, mentions Willie Turks,
Michael Griffith, and Yusef Hawkins.
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawkins, Yusef
1989 in New York City
1989 murders in the United States
1980s crimes in New York City
1980s in Brooklyn
August 1989 events in the United States
Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
Deaths by firearm in Brooklyn
Deaths by person in New York City
Male murder victims
Protest marches
Protests in the United States
Race-related controversies in the United States
Racially motivated violence against African Americans
Riots and civil disorder in New York City
Incidents of violence against boys