One of the most interesting figures of the Harlem "hey day" era is one of the most obscure and Controversial . Stephanie "Madame" "Queenie" St. Clair. Activist, Community figure, Writer, Gangster. Much is lost on St. Clair's beginning, end, and arrival in America. But, it's documented that St. Clair was a highly intelligent woman, with dreams and equal brass to match. St. Clair spoke three different languages, English, French, and Spanish, and held the reputation for a fiery personality. Like many transplants to New York, St. Clair arrived with dreams of establishing a life far better than her native land. She discovered the color of her skin and gender restricted her from going as far as she hoped. Though, quick witted, tough, and intelligent, St. Clair learned the game of "numbers", a million dollar backdoor operation of number matching. Her fortune doubled and St. Clair became one of the notorious and richest figures in Harlem society of the 1920's and 30's. St. Clair lived on Sugar Hill, an affluent section of Harlem, where she lived next door to historical leaders such as W.E.B. Dubois. Still, she led an all male operation and donated parts of her wealth to the community. Interesting to note, though St. Clair ran an illegal operation for her time, she strongly advocated against police brutality and corruption in her neighborhood. St. Clair's open letters to Harlem newspaper publications earned her jail time and generated harassment from the law. Eventually, her resistance led to the demotion of over a dozen police officers, which was unheard for a women, let alone a woman of color. And though St. Clair spent time in jail because of her advocacy, she spoke on a cause very prevalent today. St. Clair died just as she arrived in obscurity around 1969 in Harlem, after giving up her numbers operation decades earlier. Her legacy is portrayed in film, literature, and neighborhood folklore. Her strength still echoes today.
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