Down These Mean Streets

In the autobiography Down These Mean Streets written by Piri Thomas, has three hundred and thirty five pages. Piri was born on September 30, 1928, in New York City. He grew up during the depression of the 1930’s in Spanish Harlem. Experiencing discrimination as a dark skinned Puerto Rican. As a child, he face poverty in the ghetto which led him into drugs, youth gangs, and a series of criminal activities.
Living in Harlem was no easy task to do. Harlem were spit into different territories; Italians, Puerto Rican and Minorities. He really couldn’t find really where he belongs. For example, when he goes to a certain part of town, he was so claim “Too black.” and in other parts “Too white.” The negative feedback he was receiving left him in a state of mind of which no matter where he goes, he felt rejection and also that he never belonged. This left him in a mental block and soon enough will lead to a barricade to his heart. Piri would hang out on the steps of his apartment...