Disciplines
African American Studies
Abstract
Born in 1960, Anthony Rivieccio moved to the Morris Heights section of the Bronx after his parents divorce with his mother and two sisters at twelve years old. Rivieccio recalls the racial tensions that developed in the South Bronx as the demographics changed leading to gangs. Rivieccio himself joined the gang The Devil’s Disciples. During the time he lived in the Bronx, Rivieccio remembers Fordham Road as an area of entertainment including arcades and movie houses, as well as a department store he would reluctantly visit with his mother on Saturday mornings.
As the fires moved closer to his location in the Bronx, Rivieccio would watch from the roof of his building at night. Once the building across from him was building, Rivieccio decided to join the Navy were he remained for four years. In the Navy Rivieccio traveled to Chicago, the Carolinas and was in a submarine as part of the team who would respond if need be during the Iran hostage crisis. Upon returning from the Navy, Rivieccio moved to Brooklyn then Kingsbridge Avenue and attended Lehman College.
Rivieccio graduated college in 1989 with his masters, a degree in Economics and a minor in Political Science. Rivieccio went into politics working for the Bronx Democratic Party and running local campaigns for a councilman in Harlem in 1991. In 1992, Rivieccio worked for Chase Manhattan Bank in the investment department until breaking off and forming his own business with other colleagues.
Rivieccio continues to be involved in the local community board and political campaigns and attributes the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition to having a positive impact on the neighborhood. While Rivieccio still enjoys living in the Bronx, he worries about the loss of open space within and the gentrification of the borough.
Recommended Citation
Rievieccio, Anthony. December 4, 2015. Interview with the Bronx African American History Project. BAAHP Digital Archive at Fordham University.
