Who are the True Cosa Nostra Founding Fathers? Who were the most influential and integral to the foundation of the Mafia? Who were the first powers on the street and the original crews that were powerful? I am speaking strictly after 1931 officially.

One that I find fascinating Who doesn't get named as much is Little Augie Pisano Carfano. Who else???,

Ciro Terranova 116th Street Crew was one of the first powerhouse crew out there.

Plus you can add Willie Moretti jersey crew and Giuseppe Traina crew

Don Vito Cascio Ferro.

Civil War-era Louisiana:
Joseph P. Macheca (“Stuppagghieri” mob, roots in Monreale, Sicily)
Raffaele Agnello (from Palermo)

Ruggiero "Richie The Boot" Boiardo and Rocco Pellegrino

Luciano and those in power in 1931, all before them were old world types and not in synch with the changing times and different country.

I agree but there were a few guys in th 20s who were able to make the transition, Boiardo, Carfano and Frank Scalise are good examples. They lasted years after 1931

Old world types paved the way for the next generations.

They achieved plenty and held an unquestionable amount of power considering the discrimination, ethnic rivalries and cultural differences they faced.

The more I research the early years of Sicilian powerbrokers in the US the more I’m stunned by how fast they rose to the top and by the reach of their pull.

I am going by the American Mafia Luan. If we want to see their rots going back centuries it would be too scattered and diverse in it's ways.I agree that the Sicilians rose to power, but I don't see them being as powerful as was often said of them. They stayed in their little enclaves, were always at war with each other, and limited in their rackets. The Lucianos and his associates were aligned with them, but took over, expanded, and for the most part made peace within. I also think they made more money and started the cosa nostra that lasted.

So Luciano and Lanksy gets alot of credit (along with their associates like Bugsy Siegel) but I think that's just a popular narrative. The other heads of the Family's get treated as an afterthought. Even the members of the Luciano Family (who helped facilitate alot what they are acclaimed for is laughable to me personally). I do believe Luciano was the most powerful and influential Boss of all time but no one person can account for everything

I am just finished reading Havana Nocture, very good read btw. It was amazing what they accomplished there in particular. And although they started Las Vegas, it was the Mid west Borgotas that expanded that territory.

The question to me is, Who made who? Luciano or Lansky?

Luciano deserves that accolade because he ordered the assassination of the two Moustache Petes--Masseria and Maranzano--and formed the Commission. He put the modern Mafia on a businesslike footing. He also had the wisdom not to declare himself capo di tutti capi--he was that secure in his own mind.


Luciano and Lasky were best friends since their teens. Meyer was Charlie's most trusted adviser, and he arranged the murders of Masseria and Maranzano. He also advised the Commission, collectively and individually. But, the two were not inseparable, and went their separate ways at times. I'd say neither made the other, but they were a powerful team when they worked together..

Luciano deserves that accolade because he ordered the assassination of the two Moustache Petes--Masseria and Maranzano--and formed the Commission. He put the modern Mafia on a businesslike footing. He also had the wisdom not to declare himself capo di tutti capi--he was that secure in his own mind.


Luciano and Lasky were best friends since their teens. Meyer was Charlie's most trusted adviser, and he arranged the murders of Masseria and Maranzano. He also advised the Commission, collectively and individually. But, the two were not inseparable, and went their separate ways at times. I'd say neither made the other, but they were a powerful team when they worked together..
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Well put. and I agree.

What Luciano did for Lansky, and by extension his "Jewish Mob" was to umbrella them under the Luciano family which gave them the protection of the mafia. No one interfered with them for decades to come because of that. And with the Luciano family's protection Lansky was soon viewed "nationwide" by the Jewish mob as its "Rabbi" and acknowledged "Boss" because of that fact as well. He basically had carte-blanche under Luciano.

But Lansky was pivotal to Luciano as well in that he was instrumental in helping guide the overall mob into legalized gambling, casinos, etc. They were a great team.