AL CAPONE:
PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE
WHO WAS AL CAPONE?
Al Capone was born in Brooklyn, NY. He became a member of the Five Points Gang, and his reputation for toughness brought him to the attention of John Torrio, a Chicago gang leader. Torrio recruited him to Chicago, where he was a bodyguard for the Mafia boss James Colosimo.
In 1924 Capone took over the gang and quickly became the most powerful crime boss of his day. People got along with him -- and if they didn't, they were murdered. In 1929, Capone's popularity definitely took a plunge after the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, of which his gang members were a part.
In 1931 the federal government successfully prosecuted Capone for tax evasion and handed him an 11-year prison sentence. He ended up in Alcatraz and his health deteriorated while he served his time. Capone died in 1947 after a heart attack.
Alright, now that we've seen the quick facts of Capone's lifetime, we can take a look at who he really was. The next few primary sources reveal the real Al Capone.
CAPONE'S MUGSHOTS
The image above consists of two mugshots of Al Capone, one with him facing the front and one with him facing the right. The picture was taken in 1931 at the time he was convicted for not paying his taxes. He ended up sentenced to federal prison for eleven years. This image depicts Capone as a ruthless criminal whose capture benefits all, especially the U.S. government.
This picture serves as a contrast to the picture of the soup kitchen, showing that Capone had many sides to him. The 1920s were a time when one of the most infamous criminals in American history was caught. This mugshot is proof of his capture and the end of his crimes against the law (particularly the 18th amendment). The capture of Al Capone and the end of his crimes makes the 1920s exceptionally roaring.
SOUP KITCHEN
This is a picture of a soup kitchen that was financed by Al Capone. It was for the unemployed and was located at 935 S. State St., Chicago. He financed one of the first soup kitchens ever.
This picture was taken in 1931, the same year Capone got arrested. This photograph was chosen to be included in this museum because it is a photograph of one of the many places he invested in however it is different from others in that it shines a positive light on him rather than a negative.
The 1920s were roaring because exciting new investments were made for the people. Some were even made by somebody as notorious as Al Capone.
