Albert "Chalky" White (1876-1931) was the leader of an African-American organized crime syndicate in Atlantic City, New Jersey during Prohibition. White was an ally of Enoch Thompson, and he was used to secure all of the black votes of the city in Thompson and the Republican Party's favor.
Biography[]
Early career[]
Albert White was born in Elgin, Texas in 1876, the son of a carpenter. His father was lynched by six jealous white men after he created a massive bookshelf for a wealthy local, and Albert worked as a storefront employee to provide for himself. He murdered a person to impress his father-in-law, and he would become a smart criminal and a shrewd businessman. During the late 1890s, he moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he befriended sheriff Enoch Thompson. White became a community leader at the head of the local African-American community, and he often accepted bribes from Republican Party politicians to give them all of the black vote during important elections.
Alliance with Thompson[]
In 1920, White became a major bootlegger, and he formed a rivalry with fellow New Jersey criminal Mickey Doyle. White took over Doyle's businesses when Doyle was arrested by the Bureau of Prohibition; White also fought against the Ku Klux Klan, killing Herman Dacus in a move that outraged the local white community. White served some time in jail, and he became wary of the Klan's power. White struck a deal with Jimmy Darmody to hand over the Klansmen responsible for the attacks on local African-Americans and to drop the murder charges brought up against him; in exchange, White would acknowledge Darmody as the new boss of Atlantic City. White resisted Gyp Rosetti and Joe Masseria's push into the city, however, staying loyal to Thompson after Darmody was murdered. White would be given the ability to build a jazz club at the site of the old Babette's Supper Club as a reward for helping Thompson against Rosetti.
War with the North Side[]
Chalky in 1924
In 1924, White met Dr. Valentin Narcisse after his second-in-command Dunn Purnsley murdered Narcisse's associate, Dickie Pastor, who was racially insulting him as he had sex with Pastor's wife. Narcisse forced White to give him 10% of the profits from White's Onyx Club, and Narcisse and White ran the business as reluctant partners. Eventually, Narcisse began to plot against White, allying with Dunn Purnsley against White. After White burned Narcisse's heroin after raiding one of his drug dens, Narcisse sent Purnsley to assassinate him, but White was saved by the singer Daughter Maitland, his lover. White responded by going to war with White, and he personally attempted to kill Narcisse during an attack on his club. White was shot in the arm by Narcisse, while two of his men were killed; three of Narcisse's men were killed, and Narcisse was almost killed as well. Thompson was not willing to assist either side during the war at first, but he threw his support behind White when he discovered that Narcisse was in league with the Masseria crime family. White was forced to flee the city, reuniting with his mentor Oscar Boneau at a Havre de Grace, Maryland mansion; Boneau was killed when some of Narcisse's hitmen attacked the mansion. White would kill the hitmen and return to Atlantic City to seek Thompson's help in killing Narcisse, who had taken over the African-American criminal underworld of the city. White's daughter was accidentally shot dead by Richard Harrow during an assassination attempt on Narcisse, and White was forced into exile.
Convict and fugitive[]
Chalky White in 1931
White ran with a gang of gas station and convenience store robbers for a few months, but he was abandoned by his fellow criminals during one robbery and arrested. White served seven years in prison, but he later made a break with an insane prisoner, Milton, when the black chain gang attacked their guards while working in the woods. White and Milton fled to a nearby white house, and they took the family hostage as Milton looked for a safe with the family's savings. Eventually, White ended the situation by killing the insane Milton with a hammer before he could shoot Fern, a high school sophomore, and White took the family's $9 before leaving the house.
Downfall[]
Chalky thinking of Daughter Maitland before his death
Chalky returned to Atlantic City, where he met with Thompson again. He demanded to know where Narcisse was, and he headed to his brothel to confront him. White entered his office, finding Daughter Maitland and her daughter there, and Narcisse later confronted White in the room. Narcisse offered to allow for White to work for him, as times were changing and Luciano became a threat. White decided to work for Narcisse in exchange for Narcisse allowing for Daughter Maitland to live a new life and release a new record, although Maitland warned White that Narcisse would betray him. White expected to be betrayed, and he was led outside of Narcisse's brothel. There, he saw a line of Narcisse's men with guns, and he straightened his suit before saying that he was ready. White was then gunned down by the firing squad, thinking of Daughter Maitland singing "Dream a Little Dream of Me" as he closed his eyes and grinned.