No Gang War in '74

Representative Chaka Fattah and Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. wentthrough the House of Umoja and were witnesses to the transformationalprocess of young people who identified with individualgangs. Many of these gangs were started in the fifties and expandedthroughout the sixties. However in 1968 gang warfare became muchmore deadly. Once the body counts went up gangs wanted to even the score. Ittook two dedicated parents who were not only concerned abouttheir own children but their community as well, to set in motiona transformational process which started with their own house andin five years ripped across the city. Through these well organizedgangs young people had seen the mean things they could do to eachother. David and Falaka Fattah showed them the beautiful thingsthey could do, the importance of community and civic duty. Theyconnected them with both family and African tradition. This is astory that must be told and cannot be forgotten.