New Gang Forms in Durham
DURHAM, NC – Gang violence has long been a challenge in cities across North Carolina, including Durham, Raleigh, Rocky Mount, and Winston-Salem. However, one Durham activist is redefining what it means to be part of a “gang” by replacing guns with books and violence with empowerment.
Minister and activist Paul Scott has launched the Black Hoodie Brigade, a movement aimed at providing youth with an alternative to the allure of street gangs. Over the past year, Scott has worked tirelessly to organize this group in one of Durham’s most violence-plagued neighborhoods. Unlike traditional gangs, the Black Hoodie Brigade’s mission is encapsulated in its name: GANG stands for “Getting Academics, Not Guns.”
“Knowledge is a weapon,” Scott explains. “This is the message we have to drive home to our youth if we want to see real change.”
Inspired by the Black Panther Party, the Brigade adopts the black hoodie as its signature uniform—an accessible and affordable alternative to the leather jackets that symbolized the Panthers. Instead of carrying firearms, members of the Brigade carry books, primarily by Black authors, promoting literacy, critical thinking, and a sense of cultural pride.
Scott envisions the Brigade as a statewide movement, with plans to establish chapters in Rocky Mount and other cities. “We can’t wait for politicians to save us,” he says. “No matter who wins the election, we’ll still have youth dying in the streets if we don’t step up.”
This initiative builds on Scott’s long history of activism. In 2018, he was featured in The New York Times, where he spoke about socio-economic disparities in Durham. Now, through the Black Hoodie Brigade, he hopes to empower a new generation to choose books over bullets and education over violence.
With its bold approach to addressing youth violence, the Black Hoodie Brigade represents a fresh, transformative effort to break the cycle of despair in North Carolina’s most vulnerable communities.
Minister Paul Scott is to be highly commended for this brilliant effort to inspire the youth of our Durham community. For years to decades I have often witnessed Minister Scott reading at local libraries. He is a man for the community who lives what he preaches and teaches, and is very authentic in his objectives, I believe. May his efforts to reach out an inspire our youth be rewarded with ingenuity and success for its own sake. Nothing is more important than inspiring the next generation of young people. To God be the Glory.
Minister Paul Scott is to be highly commended for this brilliant effort to inspire the youth of our Durham community. For years to decades I have often witnessed Minister Scott reading at local libraries. He is a man for the community who lives what he preaches and teaches, and is very authentic in his objectives, I believe. May his efforts to reach out and inspire our youth be rewarded with ingenuity and success for its own sake. Nothing is more important than inspiring the next generation of young people. To God be the Glory.
That’s great!!! I pray it spreads to other cities