The New York Harlem Lotto t-shirt pays tribute to Harlem’s golden age of dreams, chance, and community hustle. The design draws inspiration from the 19th-century “Aunt Dinah Lottery” dream book, one of the earliest guides connecting dreams to lucky numbers in the underground “policy” lottery. This system thrived long before state lotteries existed.
By the early 1900s, Harlem had become the epicenter of the numbers game, a neighborhood economy built by Black entrepreneurs like Madam Stephanie St. Clair (“Queenie”) and Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, who turned the art of betting into a community network of jobs, strategy, and survival.
The New York Harlem Lotto t-shirt pays tribute to Harlem’s golden age of dreams, chance, and community hustle. The design draws inspiration from the 19th-century “Aunt Dinah Lottery” dream book, one of the earliest guides connecting dreams to lucky numbers in the underground “policy” lottery. This system thrived long before state lotteries existed.
By the early 1900s, Harlem had become the epicenter of the numbers game, a neighborhood economy built by Black entrepreneurs like Madam Stephanie St. Clair (“Queenie”) and Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, who turned the art of betting into a community network of jobs, strategy, and survival.
From Aunt Dinah’s numbers to Harlem’s streets — this tee honors the dreamers who bet on themselves.
Front left-chest “New York Harlem” print
100% USA Cotton
Yarn Count: 16 Singles
7.5 oz / 255 - 260 GSM
Available Sizes: XS - XXL
