ABSTRACT
The tragedy of Yusuf Hawkins's death engendered an examination of conscience and values among Italian Americans in ways that simply did not exist before. Beyond Bensonhurst Yusuf 's murder was a turning point in the city's political history, ultimately influencing the outcome of that year's mayoral election; David Dinkins became New York City's first African American mayor. It also had a dramatic impact on New York's Italian American community, as it fueled a tremendous amount of critical thinking and activity by Italian American scholars and artists, ultimately contributing to a more expansive, self-reflective, and socially engaged sense of identity. Literary scholar and poet Robert Viscusi was deeply affected by the silence that hovered over Italian Americans in the aftermath of Yusuf 's murder. A network of self-identified and articulate Italian Americans who stand against racism and other forms of exploitation has been established.
