Madame Queen: Mary Kay McBrayer

Mary Kay Mcbrayer Hardcover BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Women The astonishing little-known history of larger-than-life Harlem racketeer, Madame Stephanie St. Clair, one of the only female crime bosses and a Black, self-made businesswomen in early 20th-century New York, perfect for fans of books like Hidden Figures and the hit series Peaky Blinders. In her heyday, Stephanie St. Clair went by many names, but one was best known by all: Madame Queen. The undeniable Queen of the Harlem numbers game, St. Clair redefined what it meant to be a woman of means, transcending from a young woman with nothing into one of the most influential people in her community. After immigrating to America from the West Indies in 1911, by 1923 St. Clair would go on to create and manage one of the largest policy banks in all of Harlem. She knew the power of reputation, and despite running one of the most popular forms of illegal gambling, ran her business the same as any other respectable entrepreneur. First and foremost, Madame Qu