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Y ‘ 6:5 kev, wee $-Pércenters Called Hoodtams; Actions Blamed on Frustration By THEODORE JONES Concerned Harlem residents! described the “Five Percenters” | yesterday as a small hoodlum | gang that championed a “hate ‘ philosophy” against both whites; and Negroes. They said the group, which ; was involved in several mug- gings and beatings last spring. was composed of misguided / teen-agers who had “turned j nteir frustrations in the black? ghetto into antsociety actions "$ “They're & pure growth of, the slums." exclaimed a city’ youth worker who has dealt? with members of the gang. “and, they're being influenced by; older and known subversive; men who are only too happy; to turn the community into) ebaos and turmoil” This influence, according to; gocia} workers in the area. has‘ helped to create & group of totally undisciplined younf- sters, who have no respect for ts or anyone else not taken with their way of think- dng. The Five Percenters were said to have been an outgrowth of ° an older, miltant, santiwhite ; group described as the Blood Brothers, which was linked by: the police in the summer of: 1863 to several murders of whites in Harlem. Gained Attention in May =; The younger group. which has , peen under constant police sur-: yeillance, gained public atten- tion last May when several | youths led by a man who ae: scribed himself as Clarence 18X1 Smith. a former Bisck Muslim. attacked a Negro man on 2 Harlem street. When Smith was arrested and charred with the assault. the youths marched on e Harlem police station and demanded his release. The next day they ap- peared again at Smith's hear- ing in Manhattan Criminal: Court and shouted “white man's injustice’ and other black na- tionalist slogans until they were ejected from the court- room. : Smith was charred with fe- ’ Jonious assault, resisting arrest.- unlawful assembly and posses." sion of marijuana. He was held: in $9,500 bail and is still in a @oamiertieen Pmtyto—a, e next public incident oc- with of 10 youths who allegediy hurled garbage can covers. rocks and dottles at two white policemen who had stopped them from molesting a Negro woman. The youths, who ranged in age from 16 to 18, were charged with riot, unlawful assembly. resisting arrest and disorderty conduct. Seven other youths. also involved in the incident, were booked as juvenile de- Tinquents. Bisck Muslims Pradtices Both the police and Harlem community leaders describe the Five Percenters aS & looscly }mit group of youths ranging in age from 13 to 21. The group is raid to follow many of the practices of the Black Muslims, although it { affihated wi that sect. Estimates of the strength of the group run between 50 and 100 members. Youths who iden- tify with the group are said to operate in the Bedford-Stuyve- sant area of Brooklyn as wel! as in Hariem. The Five Percenters derive their name from & philosophical belief that 85 per cent of the country's Negro popuiation is ignorant or “just cattie” and that 10 Toms,” or subservient to whites. The remaining 5 per cent, of which they are the self-chosen, eventually will lead the others out of “bondage.” “Many of these kids don’t know what's going on,” e@x~ plained one community leader who has worked closely with the group tn an attempt to. change their direction. “But they identify with the power- Jessness of the Negro in the ghetto, and if you're not say- ing how to end that, then you're not talking their languace.” During the summer, both the police and community leaders met frequently with the youth to pet their views and to see - where they could be helped. per cent are “Uncle: , «© Belmon Walcach a oach sper ——_______ Caliahan Contad J Felt . Gale Rosen : Sullivan , Tavel Trotter Tele Room Holmes Gandy ALL FORMAT OH CONTATAED HERES BNCLASSIIED | tls 22- MSE Tolson a nas The Washington Post and i, Times Herald The Washington Daily News ——— The Evening Ster —_—___.__- New York Herald Tribune ———.— i New York Journal-American ——— ‘ New York Datly News —_.__.__— New York Post ———.________—— The New York Times eee The Baltimore Sun —————-—— The Worker ——__.—__— The New Leader —______——- The Wall Street Journa) ——_____- The National Observer en Peoples World a Many were taken info the FIARXYOU-ACT summer pro- gram and given employment. Date —________—_-———' Others refused jobs with the : o i Ju0 Harlem agency, declaring that Cit Q 4+ they did not want “ha douts.”” érmination of the sum- ~ CV CLOSULE