In season 4, Bumpy Johnson continues his bloody war for control of Harlem against New York's Mafia families, while contending with the arrival of gangster Frank Lucas. After Malcolm X's tragic assassination, Bumpy must also grapple with his daughter Elise's involvement with the Black Panthers.
Bumpy plans to build a new club in Harlem but must find a new way to finance it without the heroin business. Elise testifies in the Malcolm X murder trial when three innocent men are accused. Stella negotiates a business deal between Colombo and Chin.
A power struggle erupts in Harlem as Bumpy seeks allies against Chin's betrayal. Meanwhile, he assigns a risky heroin heist to Frank Lucas, while Elise uncovers deadly secrets and Stella maneuvers for control.
When the property for Bumpy's new club is being sold to a powerful, white real-estate developer, Bumpy must convince the black "Straw Man" to sell it to him instead; Mayme and Elise stage a protest at Margaret's school.
Bumpy battles a union strike threatening club construction. Elise bails out a fellow Panther and Frank faces consequences for Cowboy Nick's murder.
Bumpy finds a new concrete supplier that subverts payments to the Italians; Elise and the Panthers plan a symbolic action against the police; Frank does a job for Colombo; Mayme asks James Baldwin to do a reading for the Fine Arts Board.
Bumpy suffers a heart attack and has visions of Malcolm in the hospital; he's forced to negotiate with Colombo for Chance's safe return; Elise and Sadiq discover a rat in the Panthers; Olympia Gigante returns to get vengeance.
The Club St. Clair opens, but Bumpy has to pay Colombo a tax; Frank seeks protection from the Italians trying to kill him; Colombo responds to FBI harassment; Sadiq opens up to Elise; Mayme faces a financial obstacle to joining the Fine Arts Board.
Fred Straub returns to sue Bumpy for ownership of the St. Clair, but this time, he's backed by the Italian Mob; the Panthers intervene when Delia's son is drafted to Vietnam; Colombo makes an interesting proposal to Stella.