In the mid-seventies, a group of teenage racists called the B.O.N.E.S. terrorized African-Americans in the Westside Avenue area of Jersey City. Paradoxically, the street gang’s most vicious crime was the beating of a White youth outside of Roosevelt Stadium before a Rock concert (the group was Kiss). The injuries inflicted were so severe that the Heights resident died a few days later. Subsequent police pressure resulted in the B.O.N.E.S disbanding.
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Were the BONES ever in the Heights area? Were there other vigilante groups like this in JC or even elsewhere?
The BONES originated in the south-side Greenville section on Princeton Ave. Period !! Nuf-said >}}}}{*>xxxxxx
My father was part of the BONES but he passed away 33 years ago. I only know bits of them through family and his friends, who have also since passed. I am looking for more information on this group/time period. If you know anything, I’d love to connect!
YES this was a real thing. The Bones gang terrorize me and other children in the 70’s in Jersey City. I clearly recall the white teacher letting the black children out the back door of the school 10 mins early so we could get home safely without being harassed, chased and beaten..
Hi. I’m a professor at Rutgers, and I’d like to find out more about this. Would you be willing to help?
My father was part of the BONES but he passed away 33 years ago. I only know bits of them through family and his friends, who have also since passed. I am looking for more information on this group/time period. If you know anything, I’d love to connect!
The BONES weren’t centered on the Westside, nor were they centered in the Heights. Although some members may have come from these areas. Most members of the BONES, and their HQ’s were in South Greenville section of Jersey City.
The BONES weren’t in the heights more Greenville and Westside. Do you know what The BONES stood for? Beat On Nig—- Every Saturday. That was the meaning.
In 1973. I was 14 and growing up in the JC heights. There was an initiation process by older kids from the schoolyard. We weren’t told about it but on one night two older guys invited me an my gang ( 4 close friends ) to take a ride and have some ‘fun’ . Two of us saw bats and chains in the back and said ‘no’. The two others went along and ‘popped their Cherry’.
There definitely was B.O.N.E.S. In fact the acronym meant ‘Beat On N….. Every Saturday’…they were pretty scary and didn’t care what color they beat beat up…they would randomly stop the car, pile out, do a quick and violent beating, and then get back in the car.