Numbers gambling is an informal street lottery that began in Harlem in the early 20th Century. By 1930, it had spread to cities, suburbs, and rural communities throughout the United States, including Montgomery County. Historian David Rotenstein will discuss “The Numbers Game in the Burbs: Racketeering in Montgomery County” in an online presentation starting at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 25, presented by Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.
In the 1930s, Montgomery County made national headlines for a turf war involving two Washington racketeers. "The Numbers Game in the Burbs" digs into some of Montgomery County’s racketeering history, from the Black communities where runners and bookies visited homes daily to the White D.C. kingpins who lived there.
The presentation will be led by Dr. Rotenstein, a former Silver Spring resident who now lives in Pittsburgh. He has previously written on Black history, historic preservation and Jewish history in Montgomery County. His work in Lyttonsville led to the drive to save the Talbot Avenue Bridge. He is writing a book on the social history of numbers gambling in Pittsburgh.
To view the presentation via Zoom, register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuc-2rqz8vGNya7AOEH7dzDCluS4UZOq3G.
