Author Champagne Powell’s New Book, "Chi-Town Gangster," Extends from the Uniqueness of Black Chicago, Illinois, USA, Compared to Any Other City in America

Lancaster, CA, November 26, 2024 --(PR.com)-- Champagne Powell, an actor, vocalist, songwriter, novelist, and screenwriter, has completed his new book, “Chi-Town Gangster”: a fascinating work following a fifteen-year-old Charles Powers, CP, who aspired to become a Hollywood actor/singer. After the murder of his best friend by the huge Disciple street gang, CP was unexpectedly led into the hierarchy of a nearly three-hundred-member street gang called the Satan Lovers. In 1969, this street organization joined the highly publicized Black P. Stone Nation in its war with the Disciple Nation. In 1970, at age twenty, CP became leader of the now nearly two-thousand-member Black P. Stone Nation faction.

Author Champagne Powell grew up on Chicago’s Southside in the violent and legendary neighborhood of Englewood. Mr. Powell survived the 1960s Chicago Disciple-Black P. Stone war. In 1971 he enlisted in the US Navy during the Vietnam conflict. In 1978, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater from Columbia College, Chicago. While attending Columbia College Chicago he studied "Acting for Film" under the instruction of a then unknown and now celebrated actor Joe Mantegna. In 1981, Mr. Powell was awarded the prestigious Joseph Jefferson Award for his performance in The Mighty Gents. He has appeared in numerous theater, film, and TV productions. In 1985, Mr. Powell was replaced by an upcoming Denzel Washington in the Broadway production of “Checkmates.” Mr. Powell was also a social worker for the State of Illinois and the Chicago Youth Centers, servicing the Cabrini Green Projects. Mr. Powell, in 2021, retired from Los Angeles County’s Department of Children and Family Services, performing duties as an emergency response investigator. Now at seventy-four, Mr. Powell remains married to his wife of twenty years, Barbie, with a fifty-three-year-old son and five adult stepchildren.

Powell writes, “The period of 1965 to 1978, Champagne and his childhood friends experienced an ongoing street battle that pertained ONLY to Chicago. This city was then and even now uniquely considered the most segregated city in the United States. The difference between Chicago Black teenagers and the rest of the country is extensive; examples include the area of dance and what was then called BOPPING morphed into what is now called STEPPING. In the arena of fashion, Chicago teenage gangsters created what was called the GOUSTER dress style. During the 1960s, recording artist David Bowie documented this unique Chicago Black teenager phenomenon. He adapted his version of the style and coronated his upcoming album ‘GOUSTER.’”

Published by Page Publishing, Champagne Powell’s engrossing tale takes readers into little known Chicago history.

Readers who wish to experience this extraordinary work can purchase “Chi-Town Gangster” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors’ books, including distribution in the world’s largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Page’s accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at www.pagepublishing.com.