Gang of Four (Harlem) facts for kids

The Gang of Four was a special group of African-American politicians from Harlem. They worked together and later became very important leaders. This group got its name from another famous "Gang of Four" in China. A person named J. Raymond Jones helped them a lot to gain power.

Members of the Group

There were four main members in the Gang of Four:

• David Dinkins (1927–2020) held many important jobs in New York City. He was a state assemblyman and later became the Borough President of Manhattan. He also served as the Mayor of New York City from 1990 to 1993.
• Basil Paterson (1926–2014) was a New York State Senator. He also served as the Deputy Mayor of New York City. Later, he became the Secretary of State for New York.
• Charles Rangel (born 1930) was a state assemblyman. He served in the United States House of Representatives for a very long time, from 1971 to 2017. He was also the Chairman of a powerful committee called Ways and Means.
• Percy Sutton (1920–2009) was a state assemblyman for one term. He then became the Manhattan Borough President, serving from 1966 to 1977.

Their Lasting Impact

The influence of the Gang of Four continued through their families.

Basil Paterson's son, David Paterson, followed in his father's footsteps. He became the Lieutenant Governor of New York in 2007. In March 2008, he became the Governor of New York. He was the first African American governor of New York State. He also served in the State Senate for many years.

Percy Sutton's granddaughter, Keisha Sutton James, also became a political leader. She helped manage the campaign for Alvin Bragg. In 2022, she was appointed as the Deputy Borough President for Manhattan.