On a hot summer night in 1991, seven-year-old cousins Gavin and Angela were getting ready to play. Gavin was undoing his bike chain while Angela eagerly stood nearby. 

Only a few moments separated them from Yosef Lifsh’s car and what would soon become one  of the worst periods of unrest New York City has ever seen. 

In this episode, we go back to that fateful accident that sparked what many know as the Crown Heights Riots. Over the next three days, this Brooklyn neighborhood fell into chaos with residents, police and community leaders clashing.

In looking back at what happened on August 19th, 1991, we explore Crown Heights itself, a neighborhood with many cultures and communities living side by side and ask: why did this happen and how did it get so bad?

On a hot summer night in 1991, seven-year-old cousins Gavin and Angela were getting ready to play. Gavin was undoing his bike chain while Angela eagerly stood nearby. Only a few moments separated them from Yosef Lifsh’s car and what would soon become one of the worst periods of unrest New York City has ever seen. In this episode, we go back to that fateful accident that sparked what many know as the Crown Heights Riots. Over the next three days, this Brooklyn neighborhood fell into chaos with residents, police and community leaders clashing. In looking back at what happened on August 19th, 1991, we explore Crown Heights itself, a neighborhood with many cultures and communities living side by side and ask: why did this happen and how did it get so bad?

The Accident

Shoe Leather is an investigative podcast that goes behind the scenes of forgotten stories that shaped New York City. Go along with the team as they knock on doors and track down the people who were at the center of the news. 

This season, we’re taking a deep dive into the life and career of Rudy Giuliani, one of the most influential politicians in New York City’s recent history. Before he was disbarred and bankrupt, before all the trouble, Giuliani rose to prominence as a prosecutor and a politician. As America’s mayor, he had one of the highest approval ratings of all time among New Yorkers. He was even knighted by the Queen of England. So, how does that person end up bankrupt and ridiculed? How did America’s Mayor end up betraying the very values he built his career on?

Society & Culture

Documentary

True Crime

History

Shoe Leather is an investigative podcast that goes behind the scenes of forgotten stories that shaped New York City. Go along with the team as they knock on doors and track down the people who were at the center of the news. This season, we’re taking a deep dive into the life and career of Rudy Giuliani, one of the most influential politicians in New York City’s recent history. Before he was disbarred and bankrupt, before all the trouble, Giuliani rose to prominence as a prosecutor and a politician. As America’s mayor, he had one of the highest approval ratings of all time among New Yorkers. He was even knighted by the Queen of England. So, how does that person end up bankrupt and ridiculed? How did America’s Mayor end up betraying the very values he built his career on?

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The Accident

The Accident

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