Gangster Disciple Nation
Founded | U.S. |
In | Chicago, IL |
Founded by | Larry Hoover SR. & David Barksdale |
Years active | late 1950s–present |
Colors | White, Blue, Black, Grey |
Territory | Nationwide |
Ethnicity | African American, Hispanic, |
Membership | 50,000+ |
Criminal activities | Robbery, Murder, Assault, Drug Trafficking, Extortion, Fraud, Arms Dealing, Burglary, ect |
Allies | Folk Nation |
Rivals | Black Disciples, 4 Corner Hustlers (Depends on set), Mickey Cobras (main rival), Black P Stones (Depends on set), Latin Kings, |
Most known members | White Folkz, FBG Duck, Lil Jojo, 22gz, Duke Duece, Ugly God, YTB Fatt, Double007, Mac Critter, Mac Snoop, FTO Sett, Young Pappy, FBG Wooski, FBG Young, FBG Butta, YGM Phat, King Lil Jay, FBG Cash, FBG Dutchie, MOB Scrapp, KTS Von, KTS Dre, Swagg Dinero, JHE Rooga, TB, Poppie, Lil Twan, Richie Jerk, Lil Mister, P. Rico PBG Kemo, TFG Bigz, THF Billa, Nas Blixky, Nick Blixky, Sleezyworld Go, JP, MUBU Krump, Smylez, BuDouble, Big Homie G, Monta Ellis |
Most infamous sets | STL/EBT, PBG, Tyquan World, MOB,/Scrapp gang, Bricksquad/Jojoworld, Lakeside, Dro City, TFG, PBG, TayCity, Wugaworld, Killaward, H-Bloxk, 7 Street Murda Squad, |
In order to tell the story of the largest mob in Chicago’s history I must intertwine both the history of the Gangsters and the history of the Disciples to bring about the correct understand. The Gangster Disciples are said to be at least 40,000 strong in numbers and continue to grow with members as young as pre-teen and members as old as in their 70s. The Gangster Disciple nation has a hell of a legacy of expansion, power and dominance. The Gangster Disciples have grown beyond just being a gang and are about Growth and Development. Growth and Development is something positive that turns Gangster Disciple members into productive members of society and helps men of all ages better themselves and become successful. Not all Gangster Disciples get involved in criminal activity and many retire and leave the criminal life and become productive members of Growth and Development.
The history of the Gangster Disciple nation has roots that come from civil rights issues and dealing with problems that plagued their communities. It became time to fight back. From the rough parts of Hyde Park to the impoverished and blighted community of Englewood Gangsters and Disciples were born and would evolve to show the world true power in numbers and organization.
The Black Disciple history is indeed a fascinating history and a great story of how young pre-teen boys got together and formed an organization that would help fight against the civil rights injustices and wild gangs around them.
We will start the story back in the year 1958 to the impoverished northern half of the Hyde Park neighborhood, the impoverished southern Kenwood area and in the Englewood neighborhood. In Hyde Park and Kenwood wealthier white greaser youths were bullying several black youths. Hyde Park had always enforced restrictive racial covenants in the earlier times but in the late 40s it was deemed unconstitutional; therefore, black families began to move into the older northern section of the Hyde Park neighborhood. By the later 50s blacks were moving into this area and southern Kenwood at a higher rate as this area became more affordable for lower income families. In Englewood, black families began moving in at a very high rate in this neighborhood causing many Italian families and Italian greasers’ resentment and soon bullying ensued. There were also white and black gangs from outside of Englewood, Hyde Park and Kenwood that invaded and bullied these youths. The creation of the Dan Ryan Expressway system that year was a contributing factor is forcing many black families out of their communities and into white neighborhoods like Englewood. Englewood was an affordable option for lower income black families making this an ideal neighborhood for settlement.
Some of the bullied youths from Kenwood, Hyde Park and Englewood got together as friends and decided to create a club that would fight against all these enemies they had. These boys were only 11-13 years old in age and they all sat down to figure out the name of this new organization. They decided to flip through the holy bible to get ideas and that’s when it dawned on them to use the name “Disciple” in their title. The boys then added on the prefix “Devil’s” to give the name an intimidating edge to it. After that was decided the Disciples were simultaneously at 43rd Street in Kenwood and scattered throughout Englewood between 56th Street down to 67th Street. Although the Disciples started in Englewood from 56th to 67th their original first Englewood section and their Englewood motherland is 63rd and Stewart which is where it all began in Englewood. A Disciples group known as the East Side Disciples was the group that started at 43rd and spread all the way south into Hyde Park to 53rd and Kimbark. 53rd and Kimbark became East Side Disciple headquarters and basically the headquarters for all city-wide Disciples, however, Englewood Disciples tended to gather at 63rd and Stewart.
Some founding members were Richard “Champ” Strong, David Barksdale, Mingo Shread, Prince Old Timer, Kilroy, Leonard Longstreet, Night Walker, Lavergne and various others. The Disciples had no central leader in their earliest days, and they kept their business out of the press. The Disciples established headquarters at the Hyde Park intersection of 53rd and Kimbark which became their very first stronghold. The Disciples created the symbols of the star of David, pitchfork and devil’s tail with devil horns when they formed in 1958.
The first arch enemy of the Disciple was the “Sons of Italy” which was a white gang of greasers in Englewood and one of the more powerful south side greaser gangs. The Sons of Italy objected to the neighborhood changing from white to black and would take out frustrations on black youths. Disciples also fought with other black gangs in Englewood like the Egyptian Cobras that moved to the neighborhood from Fuller Park in 1958.
In the year 1959 Disciples made their first expansion move as they settled in the western part of the Woodlawn community west of Woodlawn Avenue as they took over about 2/3 of the Woodlawn neighborhood. The other 1/3 was Egyptian Cobra territory who became archrivals along with the original group of Blackstone Rangers. The Disciples would make this neighborhood permanently as they have maintained a heavy presence over the decades.
In the year 1959 black families began to settle in the South Shore community for the first time. This was a neighborhood that was known to have some anti-black and anti-Jewish sentiment since the 19thcentury. When blacks first arrived, they were met with hostility especially from white gangs. The Devil’ Disciples then migrated to this community to support the black community in their racial struggles. South Shore would become another permanent home to the Disciples for generations to come. High-ranking and/or senior members often have preferred South Shore over time. Many times, over the decades money-making big-time Disciples would buy houses here making this sacred lands for the Disciples.
In the same Year of 1959 Disciples settled in the Greater Grand Crossing and Washington Park neighborhoods. Both neighborhoods were heavy in poverty and blight and home to many impoverished families. The Disciples arrived to support the struggling black community. In these communities Disciples patrolled the streets and worked to eliminate criminal groups and wild gangs taking on a guardian role that Disciples would carry in other communities in later years. Both communities have been heavy coveted for decades and are still strongholds for Disciples.
As the years of 1958 to 1961 went by the Disciples became especially powerful in northern Englewood as white flight ran its course and more black families moved in created excellent recruiting opportunities. By 1961 the Devil’s Disciples were the most powerful gang in Englewood and the Italian greaser gangs were fighting that losing war against the Disciples. By this time the Italian greaser gangs had left Englewood.
In the year 1961, 14-year-old David Barksdale took over leadership of the Devil’s Disciples and he directly oversaw the Englewood branch of the Disciples. Barksdale appointed Mingo as President of the Disciples in Hyde Park and Kenwood that became known as “East Side Disciples.”
The Hyde Park/Kenwood chapter was at its peak around when Barksdale took over as they had members from 43rd down to 53rd between the two neighborhoods but starting in 1960 the University of Chicago backed a program to renovate southern Kenwood and northern Hyde Park by clearing out blighted buildings and renovating some of the older and salvageable homes. This action would increase the value of these neighborhoods and push impoverished black families out causing most of these families to move to Englewood. As the families began moving in the early 60s the Disciples grew stronger in Englewood and gradually a new headquarters was set up at 63rd and Stewart in the year 1963 because many homes were razed at 53rd and Kimbark in Hyde Park and the Kimbark Shopping Plaza was built over half of Disciple headquarters. The Disciples from 43rd down to 53rd moved to Englewood by 1963 further solidifying Englewood which is how GDs and BDs are so big in Englewood even up to present day.
In the same year that David Barksdale took over the Disciples Richard Strong and his family moved into the Cabrini Green public housing projects that was mostly ran by various small gangs and Egyptian Cobras. Strong developed quite a following in no time and recruited several black youths into his gang the Black Deuces which was the gang he created in Cabrini, but they were tied to the Devil’s Disciples. This is how Disciples became a large presence in the Cabrini Green area until the projects were torn down.
In the year 1964, the Disciples spread their influence further south of 79th Street as they landed in the Auburn-Gresham, Chatham, Calumet Heights, Burnside, and Roseland neighborhoods with the Roseland community being the center of this settlement. Roseland, Auburn-Gresham and Calumet Heights were struggling with uneasy racial transitioning and there was often violent conflict between whites and blacks, the Disciples came to aid the black community during these struggles. With the settlement of Roseland came the legacy of the Wild 100s GDs and BDs. These neighborhoods would became major strongholds for Disciples for decades to come to present day and it all began in 1964. Within a short amount of time Disciples ended up clashing with Blackstone Rangers that were settling in most of these communities the same year.
The Disciples also spread into the south suburbs in Harvey, Dixmoor, Phoenix, Chicago Heights, Robbins and Ford Heights communities for the same reasons as on the further south side to deal with racial conflicts that ended up turning into more of a rivalry with Blackstone Rangers that were settling in these communities as well. The Disciples would became permanent residents of these suburbs up to present day.
One may ask what I mean by racial strife. From speaking to many over time from these areas and similar white flight areas around the city it can be any or all of these behaviors:
Bullying in school – Many times white youths would pick on black students by calling them racial slurs or treating them as less equal.
Teaching staff unequal treatment for black students – Often times when white and black students would conflict or even if black students would get in trouble in other ways black students were punished harsher. Sometimes black students were even accused of issues they were not part of.
Unfair neighborhood boundaries – After restrictive covenants were banished by the Supreme Court in 1948 communities established sometimes agreed upon racial boundaries in neighborhoods where blacks could not be seen venturing into declared white areas. The problem was in these changing neighborhoods the boundaries were decided by the whites and often included all the public facilities like pools, parks, shopping areas etc…often leaving blacks no choice but to venture into these areas and face violence or taunting.
Unfair police treatment – As black residents became new in white neighborhoods, they were watched by police closer, questioned by police more frequently and questioned whenever a crime was committed without just cause. When fights between blacks and whites happened police would not arrest the whites and often brutally arrested blacks involved.
These are just some of the behaviors that black residents faced in these changing communities. This is mostly lost history because these issues were often short lived because most whites took part in white flight rapidly and the racial issues were forgotten especially as groups like the Disciples ended up focusing more on conflicts with the rival Ranger groups. It is important to understand that the original cause was conflict between black and white even if it was within less than a one year duration.
Now that we began the story with the creation of the Disciples now let’s look into the formation of the “Gangsters.” This took place in Englewood in the year 1964, more specifically at 68th and Green. A group of thirty young black youths got together at this intersection as they hung out in Larry Hoover’s home and watched outside the window as gangsters and pimps hung out in the parking lot of The Guys and Gal’s night Club that used to exist at that intersection. These boys wanted to be just like these pimps and gangsters, and they were living on the border of Ranger and Disciple territory. Larry Hoover was inspired to be a leader of gangsters and began dressing himself very well to fit the role. Eventually these boys created their own club called the “Supreme Gangsters” which was Larry Hoover’s idea for the club name. Larry Hoover himself was not the first official leader but more of a behind the scenes type leader. Hoover teamed up with street hustler Andrew “Dee Dee” Howard and Ike “King Ike” Taylor and made King Ike his right-hand man. The Supreme Gangsters wore the color black and their symbols were a heart with wings and a round crown with a sword going through it. The Supreme Gangsters saluted each other with a clenched fist as their hand sign.
Upon inception the Supreme Gangsters were immediately at war with Blackstone Rangers and Egyptian Cobras but had no hard feelings against Disciples. Supreme Gangsters were the newer organization in Englewood, and this made them the target of Blackstone Rangers that wanted to flush them out right away, but the Gangsters fought the Rangers viciously. The Supreme Gangsters were hustlers and were about getting money early in their history before Disciples and Rangers were as much about it.
In the year 1965, the leader of the Supreme Gangsters was no longer in charge and Larry Hoover stepped up to be the official leader of the Supreme Gangsters instead of being a behind the scenes leader. After Larry Hoover took over the Supreme Gangsters began to grow in Englewood and became a major force to be reckoned with as Rangers struggled in battles with them.
The Devil’s Disciples were the largest gang on the southside by 1965 and before, even after the Black Stone Rangers started, Rangers were not as large. The Rangers only appeared larger because they were more outspoken to media outlets. The Supreme Gangsters were up and coming and even began recruiting older members that were even above high school age. Larry Hoover was becoming increasingly recognized, respected and feared by many. He was only 13 years old when he started the Supreme Gangsters and by the age of 14, he was in charge of older guys.
On the date of January 6, 1966, the Disciples began recruiting gangs more instead of just focusing on recruiting just individuals. He wanted these gangs to all call themselves “Disciple” while still maintaining their original name. An example was when the Gonzatos became Gonzato Disciples when they agreed to be part of the Disciples as an alliance. The coalition expanded Disciple boundaries beyond the into the Bronzeville area. This put Disciples in the Ida B. Wells, Clarance Darrow projects, Wentworth Gardens, Stateway Gardens projects and heavily on the streets of Grand Boulvard and Douglas communities. Older gangs from these communities flipped to Disciples or attached their gangs to the Disciple name. In the Near South Side the Disciples moved into the Harold Ickes projects. This spreading of this nation did not gain much notoriety due to Disciples keeping their activity low key, therefore, you don’t read much about it in the history books. What you will read all about is how the rival Black P Stone nation spread all over the place after that nation was created in 1966 to have their own alliance.
What you will read all about is how the rival Black P Stone nation spread all over the place after that nation was created on December 28, 1966 to counteract the Disciple nation, again it was because Stones were more outspoken to media outlets.
In 1966, the Disciples became heavily active in the community opening fund raisers, legitimate businesses, enforcing school policies to keep kids in school. Maybe some of that money went to illegal activities but a great deal of it went into helping the community. David Barksdale used his power for some good as can be seen. The Disciples were also tied to civil rights groups and fought against civil rights injustices. In that summer of 1966 Disciples even tried a peace treaty with the Rangers, this didn’t last but at least there was a large attempt.In the year 1967, The Woodlawn Organization was awarded over $927,000 to be handed out to the Blackstone Rangers and the Black Disciples to operate job training centers for neighborhood youths in Woodlawn. All Disciples and Rangers were paid a salary to be instructors of this program despite the lack of training. Disciples received about $360,000 of this money for the program. In these programs there were both Disciple and Ranger instructors and students in these classrooms and sometimes gang fights and shootings happened in the classes.
Now that Disciple and Stone alliances were established the much smaller Supreme Gangsters, needed an alliance of their own. Larry Hoover now felt the need to create his own countermeasure against the Black P Stones in 1967. He adopted the same belief as the Disciples in keeping out of media outlets and having a code of silence, hence, why the new Gangster nation alliance flew under the radar when it started in 1967 and through the rest of the 60s. The Gangsters absorbed several black gangs that were opposition to Stones and didn’t want to be Disciples from as far south as 71st Street. All organizations that joined the Gangster nation adopted the last name of “Gangster” to show allegiance. One thing people tend to get twisted is that the Supreme Gangsters were known as the “High Supreme Gangsters,” in reality the High Supreme Gangsters were just a branch of Supreme Gangsters from 71st Street. Another branch on 71st was the Imperial Gangsters, once again another name that gets confused as a Supreme Gangster official title.
In the month of September in the year 1968, Ike Taylor moved to the intersection of Gladys and Keeler in the K-Town section of Chicago’s West Side in the West Garfield Park neighborhood after he was released from the Audy Home detention center. His family moved from Englewood to K-Town. When he arrived, he began spreading the word of the Gangster nation to these young west side youths that were mainly familiar with Vice Lords and Egyptian Cobras. King Ike recruited many youths in this area and established the very first Supreme Gangster branch in history. Ike appointed Robert “Red” Lawson to be his Sergeant of Arms, and this was the birth of the Gangster Disciples on the west side of Chicago, and it all started in 1968. This was also the beginning of the permanent settlement of Gangster Disciples in the southern portion of this community near the expressway.
The west side Supreme Gangsters gained quick popularity especially after they absorbed the “Black Pimps” and the “Jive 5” gangs by the 1970s. The Black Pimps were especially large in the West Garfield Park area, so this became a colossal move for the Gangsters turning them out. This gave the Gangsters a major momentum boost and they soon colonized the Henry Horner projects located in the Near West Side neighborhood right away in 1967 putting the Gangsters on the map in two west side neighborhoods. There really weren’t any Disciples or Stones on the west side so this was prime opportunity, the only major rival to deal with was the Vice Lords. This how Gangster Disciples became so large in the Henry Horner projects until they were torn down.
In the early 1970s Ike Taylor was convicted of attempted murder and other charges after the shooting of Albert Harris. In the court case of People vs. Taylor on December 24, 1974, Albert Harris was walking home from a friend’s house and was down the street from where he lived. Harris stopped walking when he heard the clicking sound of a gun, he turned and claimed he saw Ike Taylor standing there holding a pistol. Harris said that Ike said, “It ain’t nothing but a Gangster Thing.” Harris then saw another man holding a shotgun in a doorway, then Henry Hearan joined Taylor holding a pistol and Ronald Lawson on the other side of Taylor holding a shotgun. Harris then claimed that Taylor said, “You’re busted,” then shot Harris in the throat. The man with the shotgun in the doorway fired next and shot Harris in his right side. A fifth shooter suddenly showed up and shot Harris again with a 12-gauge shotgun in the face. Harris then turned to see Taylor, Hearan and Lawson standing side by side with flashing sparks coming from their guns. Harris dropped to the ground to crawl away but then a sixth shooter appeared with a 12 gauge and shot Harris yet again. Harris managed to flee under a car as the men continued to open fire on the car as Harris could hear all the pellets striking the vehicle that terrified him so much that cried out for his mother to save him. His mother heard the frenzy of gun fire and her son cry out then rushed to the scene as the men fled. Harris was blinded, was left with a difficulty speaking, lost six teeth and was left with scars all over but survived the attack. According to court documents Lawson was acquitted of the crime and the other three men not named were never found. Ike Taylor and Henry Hearan were convicted and both men protested their innocence. Ike Taylor was able to get the aggravated battery charges removed but the attempted murder charge stuck (source from People Vs. Taylor App.3d 396 1974). In later years Ike Taylor would become a positive leader and positive advocate for the Growth and Development concepts of the Gangster Disciples.
The Supreme Gangster made a conquest out of the west side in 1967 and not only settled the Near West Side and West Garfield Park. Gangsters also made their way east of Garfield Park and settled in the East Garfield Park community and in North Lawndale. Gangsters also landed in the West Humboldt Park community alongside the first blacks to settled south of Chicago Avenue in the West Humboldt Park community. Black Souls and Vice Lord groups were settling West Humboldt Park at the same time and Supreme Gangsters especially warred with Black Souls for a number of years into the 1970s but Black Souls would not gain territory in this community, but Supreme Gangsters remained and still have a deck in this community today as Gangster Disciples. Gangsters also made a large home in North Lawndale and East Garfield Park that is still active as Gangster Disciples today.
In the year 1968 war began between the Disciples and Supreme Gangster allied gangs especially with the Supreme Gangsters. Larry Hoover became the target for assassination attempts. He was shot on two occasions then on September 4th, 1968, a third attempt was made on him. On this day Englewood was on high alert as Disciples, Gangsters and Stones were packing guns and ready to shoot each other. At Parker High School members of the Supreme Gangsters and Disciples were especially ready to get into drama against each other. Baron Disciple member James Highsmith and Disciple co-founder Leonard Longstreet entered Parker High School even though they weren’t students. The two spotted Larry Hoover standing outside of the principal’s office and Highsmith walked past him with a smile as Longstreet shouted out “Burn him,” Highsmith pulled out a .32 pistol and shot Larry Hoover and two others nearby. No one was killed but Highsmith was convicted of the shooting and sentenced to one to five years (from source A Report on Chicago Crime by the Chicago Crime Commission).
During that fall season of 1968 the guns were blazing all over the south side as Disciples, Gangsters and Stones were at each other’s throats as bodies were dropping. This led to a temporary truce between the three organizations that didn’t last long but it was an attempt to curtail the several acts of violence on the south side. One thing to understand is that the leadership and founders did not want anymore violence and were actually friends. This was a friendship of original Black P Stones Devil’s Disciples and Supreme Gangsters. They had no control of factions that would act in self-interest and started violence with factions of the rival group starting the gang wars. The leaders and founders were not interested in war.
The first main drug dealer and syndicate individual in Roseland was an individual nicknamed “Brick.” In the 95th street area black youths admired this older guy in his 40s as he drove around in expensive cars and had lots of money. Many black youths connected to gangs, especially the Syndicate Rangers worked for Brick moving his drugs around the community for a cut of the profits. To many of these youths, both Rangers and Disciples they found Brick to be an undesirable even though they often worked for him to make a little extra money. Brick was viewed as a problem for the black community spreading drugs in the neighborhood. Brick would operate for some years, but his reign ended in 1968 when a 17-year-old youth ran him out.
In the summer of 1968, 17-year-old Ulysses Floyd (U.S.) rose through the ranks of the Syndicate Blackstone Rangers to the point where he was running the Lowden projects Rangers. In that summer of 1968 Andrew Howard of the Supreme Gangsters brought Ulysses Floyd to see Larry Hoover, the leader and founder of the Supreme Gangsters to meeting at 68th and Green in Englewood at a park. At this park Ulysses Floyd agreed to join the Supreme Gangsters as a Chief or Supreme Chief and established the Gangsters in Roseland at 95th Street and build from there. Floyd not only put the Gangsters in Roseland, his influence spread all the way up to 79th Street. After these many Syndicate Rangers and Disciples flipped to his branch of “Outlaw Supreme Gangsters that now established themselves very well in the northern Roseland area. Black migration was growing stronger by 1968 and advancing south of 95th Street as Disciples, Outlaw Gangsters and Black P Stones (formerly Rangers) moved into the higher numbered streets that would soon be known as the “Wild hundreds.” After Floyd established the Outlaws, he ran Brick out of business as he had to leave the neighborhoods. Floyd was nearly executed by crooked police officers in the Dan Ryan Woods on behalf of Brick but when they led Floyd go instead Floyd pushed out Brick. Shortly after Floyd and the Gangsters realized how much money Brick was worth and temptation was too strong for the Gangsters to walk away from all that potential money; therefore, they took over the drug operations; however, they gave back to the community unlike Brick and ran a better operation than Brick. Outlaw Gangsters also worked well with Disciples, and this brought an alliance in 1969 after the B.G.D.N alliance was formed.
In January of 1969, Larry Hoover was highly recognized by David Barksdale and Jeff Fort because the Gangsters had risen to become the third largest outfit on the south side of the city. This is when Jeff Fort became interested in establishing an official alliance with Larry Hoover and the Gangsters. Now this is where history gets tricky and has caused many disputes on the streets for many years on if Larry Hoover and the Gangsters became Stones. Some will tell you he was a Stone and others will say no way. The truth lies somewhere in the middle; however, I will say this right now before we go into details, Larry Hoover was never a Stone and I’ll explain it all right now.
In January of 1969 Larry Hoover went to Jeff Fort for a peaceful meeting to discuss an alliance. The two leaders agreed on just having an alliance that had no official title, it was simply a truce between Gangsters and Stones and not a merger in any which way. This alliance was not the same as the Black Disciple type alliance, or Gangster nation type alliance or like the Black P Stone type alliance, this was an alliance that kept Gangsters and Stones separate but would still be governed by Jeff Fort and Larry Hoover supposedly as equals. Larry came up with the idea for him to rule this alliance alongside Jeff, but Jeff ended up declining this in the long run because in Jeff’s mind nobody is his equal. The peace between them lasted close to a half year but ended up going sour as Larry was seeing more and more how Jeff would not let him rule alongside him as an equal. Jeff also came up with the idea for a complete merger of Gangster and Stone concept that he wanted to call the “Gangster Stones,” but Larry Hoover rejected the idea especially since Jeff wouldn’t let him rule as equals. This and a shooting in May of 1969 when the Stones shot at Supreme Gangsters near Larry Hoover’s home were events that brought an end to this alliance. Here are the details of that shooting that pushed things over the edge between Stones and Gangsters.
On May 7, 1969 two Supreme Gangsters Gregory Sanders and Ronald Vandergrift were shot at by Black P Stones at the corner of 69th and Halsted in the Englewood neighborhood. At the intersection of 69thand Green at address 817 West 69th Street (old shrimp shop no longer there) between 1:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Ronald Vandergrift came across Lonnie King and Charlie “Stone” Smith who were two members of the Double Six Kings which was a Black P Stone gang. Vandergrift knew Lonnie King so he began walking and talking with him as they walked toward 69th and Halsted. Lonnie started telling Ronald that he did not belong around there and to stop coming around that neighborhood because Ronald was a Supreme Gangster. Lonnie had no idea about the Gangster and BPS alliance and somehow Ronald could not convince him of it. Charlie “Stone” Smith then came around the corner and joined Lonnie in telling Ronald he did not belong around there and to keep his Gangsters out. Charlie was ruthless about it and only said it one time then yanked out his revolver and shot at Ronald two times striking him once in the groin area in his inner left thigh. After Ronald was shot, he ran to the other side of the street, Felix Murry and Gregory Sanders were nearby (both Supreme Gangsters too) and fled the scene too. Ronald did not get far because of his wound and fell between two cars. Felix Murry then came to help Ronald and as the two men took off, King and Smith kept shooting at them and grazed Murry. The two men ran two blocks away to the corner of 68th and Green and that is where they met up with Charles Hoover at the family home of Larry Hoover. The two were then taken to the hospital and were treated for their wounds. The hospital called the Police about the fact they were shot but both men declined pressing any charges or naming their assailants according to court documents. On May 9th at about 4 p.m. Charles Hoover was at the corner of 68th and Halsted and saw the shooters Lonnie King and Charlie Smith. King and Smith told Hoover they were sorry and that they did not know Hoover and the Supreme Gangsters were allies. On May 11th Vandergrift, King, Murry, Smith, Charles Hoover and some others attended a “reconciliation meeting” at the Black P Stone headquarters where the shooting was declared an accident due to the fact that the shooters did not know Supreme Gangsters were now allies according to court documents. Black P Stone Ranger chiefs were the judges in this meeting. In June 1969 Ronald Vandergrift was picked up by CPD for jumping bail, Marijuana possession and two charges of aggravated battery according to court documents. Vandergrift made a deal with CPD and decided to testify all about the shooting and now press charges in exchange for leniency for his crimes. He also came to this decision because by then the Supreme Gangsters had now went back to war with the Stones and were now merged with the Disciples (People v. Smith, ILLINOIS APPELLATE COURT FIRST DISTRICT (2ND DIVISION)). This opened up a court case of People v. Smith on October 9, 1973 which was a joint indictment of Steven Smith for an aggravated battery charge and was also being indicted on murder charges from June 2, 1969. He was 20 years old at the time and the leader of the Double Six Kings.
In June of 1969, Larry Hoover had enough of the Stones and conferenced with David Barksdale instead. Larry Hoover’s alliance with Jeff Fort as allies for a few months had gone sour and now Hoover met with David Barksdale. The two groups established an alliance that had a title known as the Black Gangster Disciple nation. The Black Gangster Disciple nation consisted of the Gangster nation, which was the Supreme Gangsters and their Gangster allies, these Gangsters were to be led by Larry Hoover. The Disciples were now known as “Black Disciples” and this was the alliance of all the Disciple gangs led by David Barksdale. Prince Old Timer was appointed the Prince of the Disciples while “Tennesee” the Prince of the Gangsters. Again, this was still just an alliance, but it was a combined concept alliance unlike the one between the Stones and the Gangsters. All Disciple gangs and Gangster gangs were all Black Gangster Disciples.
Many Disciples and Gangsters just considered themselves “BGDs” or Black Gangster Disciples when this alliance was first established and didn’t even refer to themselves as Black Disciples or Gangsters, they fell in love with the BGD title.
In June of 1969, Vice Lords, Black P Stones and BGDsall got together to form a coalition known as the “Lords Stones and Disciples” or LSD. This was a unity of the gangs so they could march on the government and demand equal rights, better jobs and about all the oppression and poverty in their neighborhoods. This coalition effectively slowed down gang violence between these three organizations even after CVL INCwent defunct in the fall of 1970. For the rest of 1969 the LSD coalition really set aside a lot of gang wars as they marched on City Hall, Universities and everywhere, until finally in January of 1970 they achieved some success in bringing about “The Chicago Plan” which was “An agreement to implement the employment of minorities in Chicago’s construction industry” (Chicago Building Trades Council, 1970). The final agreement lists 3,000 jobs or training positions in four categories. But a Coalition spokesman claimed that the actual final agreement called for 1,000 jobs in each category (Chicago Defender, January 13, 1970)” (Panagopoulos, The Role of Gangs In The Construction Of UIC). It was soon discovered in the early 1970s that the Chicago Plan was failing about not producing like it should and by October of 1973 the LSD coalition disbanded.
In the year 1969 many south side black youths were being bussed in to Senn High School on Chicago’s far north side. This program was meant to provide south side black students with better education opportunities; however much of the student body at Senn was not accepting. This is when Black Gangster Disciples were among bussed in students. Eventually many of their families would settle in the area of Lawrence and Winthrop which was the oldest black settlement in the neighborhood. The Black Gangster Disciples now became a large and permanent part of the Uptown neighborhood as this was one of the first north side settlements besides Cabrini Green projects. In the year 1970 the notorious “4848” building was built at Lawrence and Winthrop that was built as a building for impoverished black families and was a Chicago Housing Authority apartment complex. The Black Gangster Disciples moved into this building in 1970 as Lawrence and Winthrop was already their territory. In these buildings the Disciples made lots of profits in drug trafficking until the building was torn down.
Since 1968, David Barksdale had been working with leaders of the Black P Stones on several failed peace treaties. By June of 1970, another weak peace treaty was in effect, but this was broken on June 7, 1970, when David Barksdale was shot in his side at a bar at 848 West 69th Street (69th and Peoria) in the Englewood neighborhood. The accidental shooters were Black P Stones. One of the Stones dropped a rifle, and it went off striking Barksdale. Larry Hoover was there with Barksdale when the shooting started and acted quickly after Barksdale was shot by quickly getting Barksdale into his car. Hoover then raced to St. Bernard’s Hospital in Englewood and was accredited with saving David Barksdale’s life after Barksdale suffered an M-14 bullet wound in his side that passed into his kidneys causing permanent damage.
Before the 1970s, Cabrini Green was run by various different gangs with a good number of Cobrastones and Disciples running some of the buildings or parts of buildings. In the early 1970s a bid for domination of these projects began and first caught wind in the news when two police officers were shot dead by snipers on the rooftop of one of the project buildings. There was an existing war between Black Deuces and Cobrastones that prompted police to investigate, this is how serious this war was becoming. In 1971, Richard Strong, the Cabrini Green Disciple founder, started a group called the B.L.A.C.K.S which was a civil rights group that aimed to help the people of Cabrini Green facing injustices. Eventually the B.L.A.C.K.S and the Deuces would merge together then eventually merge into the Disciples.
In the early 1970s, investigations into street gangs using government funding for illegal activities came to a close as they now had evidence to convict high ranking gang members from the Black P Stones. In 1971 top leaders of the Black P Stones were officially charged and by 1972 Jeff Fort was sentenced to 4 years in prison. The investigations didn’t stop with the Stones though, investigators went after the Vice Lords and shut down their legit businesses then they aimed their cross heirs at the Black Gangster Disciples. Authorities ended up getting Mingo to testify before the grand jury against his own organization, however, no charges were brought upon the Disciples, but government funding was cut off. Stones and Vice Lords had members testify against their own gangs too in these proceedings and caused Vice Lords and Stones to face prison time, but Mingo’s testimony failed to convict anyone, instead Mingo was severely beaten on the streets by the Disciples for snitching on his own kind. The same exact money that convicted the Stones somehow didn’t get the Disciples convicted even though both groups were technically mismanaging funds. It seemed like the government just had it out for the Stones more. Not only that. The Disciples didn’t seek out this money it was kinda forced on them as equal payment to them to not favor Stones. Disciples weren’t big with talking to the media and stayed out of the spotlight unlike the Stones, so perhaps this helped their case and kept them less of a target of the government.
In the year 1971 the Disciples began to fall into disorganization and groups of Disciples began not honoring the BGDN and even feuded with other Disciple groups. There were those that wanted to overthrow Larry Hoover and there were others that were Disciples that didn’t like the Gangsters because of the old war with the Gangsters. There were also some groups that had self-interest in mind rebelling against leadership.
A harsh conviction did come down on the BGDs in 1973. On February 26, 1973, Larry Hoover ordered the death of William “Pooky” Young, a 19-year-old drug dealer in the neighborhood that stole drugs and money from the BGDs. Andrew Howard killed him on behalf of Hoover, and it all happened at 68th and Union in the Englewood neighborhood in an alley, Young was shot 6 times in the head. On March 16 both men were arrested and charged with the murder. By November 5, 1973, Hoover and Howard were sentenced to 150 to 200 years in prison in Statesville Correctional Facility in Crest Hill Illinois.
As Larry Hoover was now sitting in prison David Barksdale’s health was declining. Since he was shot in 1970 his kidneys needed to be replaced and his brother was the donor of a kidney. David Barksdale did not live like he got a new kidney against doctor orders and now his health was declining. David Barksdale’s kidneys were slowly shutting down. David Barksdale succumbed to his illness and died on September 2nd, 1974. The fond memory would live on of King David as a positive leader that truly worked to better lives for Disciples and many people in his communities. David Barksdale was no drug dealer, he was no killer, or at least not on record he was no killer, he was barely even a criminal. He was the King of the Disciples but when you look at his old rap sheet you really couldn’t tell. David wasn’t full of money and power, and he didn’t even make money like Larry did. On record he was a small-time hustler that committed petty crimes and he had no real felonies on his record. Here is a list of crimes on record recorded on David Barksdale from a list I got from the NGCRC website written by George W. Knox.
The rap sheet begins with the arrest of David Jones, 5 May 65, for Criminal Trespass to Vehicle (dismissed by Judge Comerford). On 13 July 65 the arrest is for “resisting”, and again 28 July 65 “Resist. & Disorderly G.B.”. The case also went to Judge Comerford.
* The first twist on the real name begins on 2 December 65, “David L. Barksdale” with investigation for aggravated battery.
* The next alias (Davis Jones) comes on 31 Dec 66 for Strong Arm robbery. His gives a home address of 8407 S. Morgan.
*Arrested as Davis L. Barksdale 14 Feb 67 for investigation of Burglary, released without charge, and listed as living at 522 W. 64th St.
* Arrested then again on 26 April 67 as Donise Barksdale for assault and resisting, it was non-suited. Address given: 6452 S. Union.
* An entry on 10 Aug 67 for David L. Barksdale (6452 S. Union) indicates “Appl. Chicago Urban Oppt.”, which presumably means an anti-gang program or gang-treatment program.
* David Barksdale was arrested on 13 Sept 67 for possession of marijuana, but it was a case dismissed by Judge Wendt.
* George Walker was an alias used in the arrest on 13 Oct 67 for disorderly conduct; but again the charge was non-suited (Judge Wendt again).
* David L. Barksdale on 1 Feb 68 was arrested for resisting and disorderly conduct (Xparte $25, Judge Cerda).
* On 7 April 68 David Barksdale was arrested for curfew, but again the case was dismissed (Judge Lee).
* On 28 May 68 David L. Barksdale was arrested for aggravated assault, battery and criminal damage to property, but also dismissed (Judge Cerda).
* On 8 June 68 David Barksdale was arrested for disorderly conduct (Xparte $25 & NC, Judge Zelezinski).
* David D. Barksdale arrested 27 June 68 for mob action. Again on 3 July 68 for Agg. battery.
* Arrested 24 July 68 for warrants on the two prior arrests, receives 6 months in the “House of Corrections” (i.e., today known as Cook County Jail) by Judge Zelezinski.
* On 3 August 68 charged with criminal damage to property, but on 3 Nov 68 it is dismissed (Judge Zelezinski). Similarly, 4 August 68 charged with resisting arrest and disorderly, again dismissed (Judge Zelezinski).
* Arrested 7 Mar 69 for a battery warrant, dismissed (Judge Zelezinski). On 4 Sept 69 again for “mob action”, again dismissed (S.O.L., Judge Genesen). Arrested 14 August 69 for unlawful use of weapon, and defacing I.D., dismissed (Judge Mooney).
* Arrested 15 January 70 for intimidation, dismissed (S.O.L., Judge Hechinger).
* David Lee Barksdale arrested for resisting arrest on 7 May 70, discharged on 10 Mar 71 (Judge Genesen). Arrested 4 Sept 70 for mob action, held to the grand jury (Judge Dunne). He is indicted for Mob Action by the Grand Jury. Verdict: not guilty (Judge Aspen).
* On 9 Jan 71 arrested for defacing firearms and discharging a weapon, gets 6 months in the county jail (Judge Dunne).
* Next record entry is 12 Jan 71, for traffic court. Arrested 26 January 71 for armed robbery conspiracy, dismissed by Judge Murphy. A 21 June 71 entry for traffic court. A blank entry for 11 July 1972 in the 6th district (CB No. 3586047).
* On 18 Jan 74 John David Barksdale arrested for gambling (dice), dismissed by Judge Neal.
* Last entry, 13 Feb 74 for possession of marijuana and fictitious license plates (3 days in jail, and $100 fine, Judge Murphy).
(2004: National Gang Crime Research Center, Knox)
As you can see from this rap sheet, he was no kingpin and was more focused on the activist side of Disciple operations. Barksdale was very much feared and some even said just looking at him sent shivers up your spine. Barksdale did have a hard side, but he was also generous to those disadvantaged. He would go to the Bryn Mawr School at 74th and Chappel in the South Shore neighborhood and he would throw stacks of $1 bills to the children in the school yard in the early 1970s.
After Barksdale’s passing in 1974, he was dearly missed especially by the Gangster gangs allied with the B.G.D.N. Most of the Disciples were also very mournful and wanted to continue growing a closer unity with the Gangsters. A nasty rumor circulated that Larry Hoover thought he was rightfully due the position of King of Black Gangster Disciples causing some groups of BGDs to fight among themselves as some wanted to kill Larry Hoover because of this while other supported this and now violence brewed among groups of Disciples and Gangsters while the main Disciples and main Gangsters had to work together to stop this rumors’ damage. It was also at this time that Disciples that still held grudges against the Gangsters could make moves against Gangsters now that Barksdale had passed away. Chaos was brewing within the BGDN.
In the year 1975, black families began to settle in the Rogers Park neighborhood along Howard Street and in the Jonquill and Juneway Terrace apartments. These apartments were known to be seedy, cheap, deteriorated, and full of crime. Black Gangster Disciples settled here to assist the black community here with unfair conditions but would soon clash with Black P Stones that settled here too.
In the year 1976 the chaos within the Black Gangster Disciples was put to halt when Dirk “Don Dirk” Aklin took back control of the chaos on the Disciple side and wrote a constitution and bylaws for the Black Disciples and Larry Hoover was able to gain control of the Gangsters once again. This was seen as the birth of the Black Disciples street gang in prison, but it was really more of a re-gaining of control by Acklin and others. Larry Hoover and Dirk Acklin were able to work together to bring back peach; however, it would not last. Shortly after Dirk Acklin organized the Black Disciples an immediate civil war began between Black Disciples and Gangsters as some Gangsters considered the new Black Disciple re-structuring as a break away from the BGDN. In the prison system BGDs and BDs were at each other’s throats with no resolve and there was basically chaos everywhere.
During all these wars Larry Hoover always tried to look for ways to end violence between all the gangs. His overall grand vision was for there to be peace among the nations and if there needed to be war, he wanted it controlled exactly like how the Italian Mafia controls their gang wars. Larry never liked messy wars and uncontrolled bloodshed, nor did he even agree with prison rape. In later years Larry was very much outspoken against prison rape and attempted to forbid this behavior. As I had said Larry only saw violence as needed when completely necessary and wanted it controlled and as he got older, he became less and less fond of violence and instead wanted to see young black men lead more refined lives.
Larry Hoover showed power in Statesville prison in April of 1978 when he got together with members of the Black Gangster Disciples, Black Disciples, Black Souls, Vice Lords, El Rukns (Black P Stones), Mickey Cobras and organized a work stoppage strike against foul food that was being served to inmates making them sick. During this strike Larry Hoover also got together with leaders of several rival and allied organizations from all over the city in this prison. Now that they showed unity by assembling this work stoppage the unity was taken further or perhaps it was arranged while creating the stoppage in the first place, regardless of when exactly it happened the creation of the Folk and People alliances happened in April of 1978 stemming from this work stoppage protest. This organizing led to another big sit down with members of allied and enemy nations to discuss how to control the gang wars in the prison system. He proposed two rival coalitions that all major gangs would follow that could be controlled by negotiations between the leaders of each of these coalitions just like how the Italian Mafia organizes their gang wars between families. For Larry’s own organization and his own allies, he assembled the “Folk” alliance which united Black Gangster Disciples, Black Disciples, Ashland Vikings, Ambrose, Two Six, Satan Disciples, Maniac Latin Disciples, Spanish Cobras, Imperial Gangsters, Latin Eagles, Simon City Royals, and Insane Popes to have complete peace among each other and work together. The opposition agreed to this and assembled their own coalition called the “People” alliance. The People alliance was assembled by the El Rukns, Vice Lords and Latin Kings as they allied with Latin Counts, Bishops, Mickey Cobras, Four Corner Hustlers, Insane Unknowns, Spanish Lords, and Puerto Rican Stones. This became a very effective coalition in the prison system and drastically reduced violence between Gangsters and BDs keeping BGDN continuing.
Right after Larry assembled the Folk and People alliances, he was then out of Statesville prison and sent to Pontiac prison in Pontiac Illinois (Source: (Tyson 1996; Journey of Chicago’s Ultimate Street Tough). When Larry got to this prison, he saw how poorly prisoners were treated by prison staff. The prison was overcrowded, and this resulted in squalid conditions. Larry Hoover organized the “Brothers of the Struggle” movement that involved high ranking Black Gangster Disciples, Black Disciples, Black Souls, Vice Lords, Black P Stones, and Mickey Cobras. These 17 inmates raised up a rebellion on July 22, 1978, to overthrow the prison and bring mass destruction. In the wake of the intense violence 3 correctional officers were stabbed to death. When the 17 men were out on trial, they were found not guilty. During his trials that went on until 1981Larry Hoover was in segregation away from other inmates initially.
In the year 1978, Don Smoke and Jr. Hope brought the Black Gangster Disciples to the Cabrini Green projects. The story on this began in 1978 when these men met up with Larry Hoover in Statesville. After this Smoke got out of prison and brought heroin mass distribution to the projects. From the start Smoke and Little John were bringing a larger drug trade to these projects beginning in 1978 that was previously small and not well organized. In Cabrini Green there were just Disciples that favored the BGD banner. While Smoke was in with Larry, Larry asked if Smoke would become BGD and side with the Gangsters, Smoke agreed and joined BGD. Smoke then got in contact with Little John who was on the streets of Cabrini and now got word that Cabrini Green Disciples would become Gangster. This would absorb up the Black Deuces and the B.L.A.C.K.S. This is the whole story of how the Gangster Disciples took over the majority of Cabrini Green, it all started in 1978 but had roots going back to 1961.
There was solid peace between Gangsters and BDs from late 1978 until late 1979 until a flare up happened in Statesville but got patched up only to return a year later. In late 1980 another flare up began again and heightened on January 29, 1981, when an incident happened at Statesville after groups of Black Disciples became aggressive with Gangsters.
In Statesville prison unit B, Black Disciple gang member George Baily resided in this unit along with members of the Gangsters. Baily was allowed a privileged duty known as “cellhouse help” which allowed inmates to roam freely in the cell block without cuffs or escort by guards according to court documents. Black Gangster Disciple leader Earnest “Smokey” Wilson disapproved of Black Disciples being cellhouse helpers and declared that all BDs should either resign from this position or flip to becoming part of the Gangsters. Wilson even held a meeting in that unit for BGDs and BDs to attend to lay out the rules, three BDs including Baily were in attendance and two of those three BDs resigned from that position and listened to Wilson according to court documents, but Baily would not drop the position. The BDs did not like this rule that Wilson imposed and for two weeks straight they chanted “B.D. Power” every night around 8 P.M. according to court documents. Wilson then had a meeting with Dirk Acklin, who as I stated earlier was a BD leader, to express Wilson’s dissatisfaction of this revolt from the BDs, but apparently it got nowhere so Wilson picked a fist fight with Baily which got Wilson thrown in segregation. On January 29th he was returned to his unit and met with fellow BGDs to plot the murder of Baily. The BGDs obtained an aluminum bat which ended up in the hands of Fred “Bobo” Collins. Later that day Collins struck Baily in the head with the bat repeatedly which caused Baily to be hospitalized, and on February 5, 1981, Baily died according to court documents (People vs. Harris, 1988).
After this incident in Statesville in 1981 Dirk Acklin gained control of the Black Disciples in prison and brought peace to the BGDN; however, it was also decided that the BGDN would be no more and that being BGD just meant to be part of the Gangsters. Several Disciples all over the city simply represented that they were BGDs instead hollering that they were Disciples or Black Disciples. When this re-organization happened all those many Disciple decks that mainly just claimed BGD went under the Gangsters and now it was official that they were BGD with Larry Hoover and the Gangsters. Those that mainly identified only as Disciple and/or as Black Disciple went with the BDs on the streets. This was now a split this was just a re-organizing; however, it was a change for those Disciples that were mainly claiming BGD since 1969 as they would now be with Hoover and the Gangsters, that was really the only change but this change was colossal because the amount of Disciples that cherished the BGD banner was the large majority of Disciples and this is how the Gangster Disciples became the largest gang in the city.
In the same year of 1981, Black Gangster Disciples were released as well that assured the re-organization was finalized for the BGD side of things. Basically, there was a big toss up in 1981 between B.G.D.N gangs to side with either Gangsters or Disciples and sections had to turn in their decision to be with the Gangsters or the Disciples. Either follow the Gangsters or go wit the BDs. The majority of the founding members of the Disciples chose to go with BGD and they feel they are the “true” Disciples. I have given credit to the Gangster Disciples being founded in 1958 because of the large amount of original Disciples that have felt this is the true path. There is much debate on the streets about who is more righteous GD or BD that stems from this history.
Robert “Cold Black” Dordies was released from prison in 1981 and was appointed by Larry Hoover to come to the Stateway Gardens projects and the Robert Taylor projects and flip many B.G.D.N members into BGD members as the Gangsters took over the area of Pershing Road to 43rd Street in the Robert Taylors and the majority of the Stateway Gardens projects. At the same time Mickey “Bull” Johnson brought the rest of the B.G.D.N into the Black Disciples in the Robert Taylors and Stateway Gardens. The Del Vikings were the dominant gang in both sets of projects until most of them flipped to Black Disciples while some others flipped the BGD.
The Black Gangster Disciples were now very strong in the public housing buildings and there were over 400 members in Cabrini Green alone in 1981. This was also the year the lucrative Gangster Disciple and Black Disciple drug operations began in the Robert Taylor and Stateway Gardens that would become legendary in later years.
Also in the year 1981, Larry Hoover began to draw the BGDs into politics as he established bylaws for BGDs not to harm prison guards or any prison staff unless ordered to do so. This was also the year the BGDs restructured which brought new titles for higher up members and this is when Larry Hoover no longer wanted the title of “King” and instead became the “Chairman.” At this stage Hoover was transitioning more out of the role as a crime boss and was looking for further reform not only for himself but also for the BGDs.
When the 1981 prophecies were handed down this was how the communities divided between BGD and BD:
Armour Square Wentworth Gardens projects – These Disciples were big on BGD; therefore all Disciples became Black Gangster Disciples.
Auburn-Gresham – The majority of the Disciple controlled streets were BGD or Supreme Gangster controlled and became BGD. There was still a significant group that became BD.
Back of the Yards – Any Disciple groups became BGD.
Burnside – All Disciple groups went with BGD.
Calumet Heights – All Calumet Heights Disciple groups became BGD.
Chatham – The majority of Disciple groups became BGD, but the BDs would have a significant following.
Douglas – All Disciple groups went with BGD accept the BD controlled buildings in the Stateway Gardens projects.
East Garfield Park – All Disciple groups would become BGD.
Edgewater – All Disciple groups became BGD.
Englewood – The majority if Englewood Disciples chose BGD; however, that majority was not staggering over the number of BDs as BDs would have a major following as one their largest territories in Chicago.
Grand Boulevard – although the majority of Disciple groups chose BGD the BDs would still have a large influence in this community and the majority BGD was not staggering. The BDs also had a large portion of the Robert Taylor projects.
Greater Grand Crossing – The majority of Disciple groups became BGD but it was not a large majority over the BDs as this community became a major BD stronghold.
Morgan Park – This neighborhood became equally divided between the Disciple groups going to either BGD or BD.
Near North Side – All Disciple groups in this community including Cabrini Green went with BGD.
Near South Side – All Disciple groups including Disciples in the Harold Ickes projects chose BGD.
Near West Side – The Henry Horner projects Disciple groups all followed BGD. The majority of Disciple groups in the Rockwell Gardens became BGD but there were some Disciples that became BDs. All Disciple groups on the streets outside of these two projects all turned BD.
North Lawndale – Most Disciple groups went with BGD but there was a significant group that turned BD.
Oakland – These streets and projects were more evenly distributed as Disciple groups in Ida B. Wells projects, Clarence Darrow projects and Madden projects went with either BD or BGD. The streets nearby were also more evenly divided.
Pullman – All Pullman Disciples became BGD
Riverdale – The division of Disciple groups was close to equal as Disciple groups in the Altgeld Gardens projects and the streets of Riverdale chose BGD and BD.
Rogers Park – All Disciple groups became BGD.
Roseland – The majority of the Disciple groups chose BGD but a very large portion of the Disciple groups chose BD making this neighborhood one of the larger BD neighborhoods in the city.
South Chicago – All Disciple groups chose BGD.
South Deering – All Disciple groups chose BGD.
South Shore – Most of South Shore Disciples chose BGD but the BDs would also have strong establishment.
Uptown – All Disciple groups became BGD.
Washington Heights – All of Washington Heights Disciples groups chose BGD.
Washington Park – Most Washington Park Disciple groups chose BGD but a very strong following of Disciples chose BD. The Calumet buildings all chose BD. Washington Park would become one of the BDs larger neighborhoods.
West Englewood – The majority of Disciple groups went with BGD but a good sized group chose BD.
West Garfield Park – All Disciple groups chose BGD.
West Humboldt Park – All Disciple groups went with BGD.
West Pullman – The Disciple groups would become almost even with the BGD following only being slightly higher than a BD following.
Woodlawn – The majority of Disciple groups turned BGD but the following toward BD was still significant.
In 1982, Larry Hoover stepped up his organization as he established “Brothers of the Struggle” as official and this time only for BGDs. He sent out memos to top leaders geared toward bettering the organization and encouraging members to refine themselves.
In 1982, the wars between BGDs and BDs almost came to an end after Dirk Acklin was released from prison and disapproved of how powerful Jerome Freeman had become. Dirk then created his own group of Black Disciples to go against Freeman’s called the Asiatic Apostles and a civil war began within the BDs. As a result of this war relations between BGDs and BDs smoothed over as these two BD factions were focused on removing each other until Dirk Acklin’s BDs went back to the rest of the BDs in 1983 or 1984.
In the year 1986, the El Rukns faced indictment that caused some harm to their organization. After this happened the BGDs experienced a major boost in numbers and now outnumbered El Rukns/Black P Stones in the city. This even involved the BGDs even becoming the new dominating force over the drug trade after the Stones ran it for nearly 20 years. This was also the year that Jr. Hope was running all the street operations for the BGDs.
In March of 1987, Larry Hoover was seen as becoming reformed especially after his 1981 policy about not harming prison staff. This all granted him a transfer to Vienna Correctional Center in Vienna Illinois which is a minimum-security prison. It was in this prison where Larry Hoover now conducted business easier since security was much lower but his business was not criminal kingpin business focused on dealing drugs etc…his work was more political and how to teach members the message of reform.
After Larry Hoover was transferred to a minimum-security facility all hell broke loose in Statesville and in Pontiac Prison as now Larry was no longer around to smooth things over. At Pontiac prison members of the BGDs conspired to murder Superintendent Robert Taylor for the purpose of avenging mistreatment against BGD members by prison staff. These BGDs wanted revenge for the death of Billy “Zodiac” Jones and Kirk Williams who both died while choking on cocaine they were trying to conceal. When BGD Harry Martin was apprehended and charged for the murder he claimed Larry Hoover gave him the order to kill this prison staff member. Upon investigation it was proven Larry had no ties to this, however, the damage was done because Martin gave up lots of other information about how the BGDs were ran and how they govern, and this led to other investigations. At the time this was happening Larry Hoover was working on a positive program he created that was aimed at steering the BGDs further away from being a criminal organization. He created “Better Growth and Development” and declared BGD stood for those words. Better Growth and Development concepts were to help GDs better themselves and to help better their community instead of fueling the problems that existed in their neighborhoods. It was also a way for BGDs to become legitimately successful and become productive men and women of society. Better Growth and Development was not official and was not even released to the public at this time.
In the year 1988, Michael G took over leadership of all street operations of the Black Gangster Disciples.
In the year 1989, the drug trade became increasingly competitive in the Englewood neighborhood between BGDs and BDs and this resulted in a string of violent shootings between these gangs that year that left some bad feelings between BGDs and BDs in Englewood it was also foreshadowing what was to become in later years, for now this clash was squashed later in the year. This is when young members of the BGDs started referring to themselves as “GDs” or “Gangster Disciples” dropping the “Black” out of their name to show no love for BDs but this was not the official name of the organization yet.
In the year 1990, Cold Black was running the BGDs but only for a short time in that year. This was also the year that Better Growth and Development was finally shared for the first time among trusted BGD heads. It was not made public or official yet.
In the summer of 1991, BGDs gunned down Mickey Bull. After that happened the Black Disciples got revenge on August 7, 1991, by gunning down multiple members of the BGDs in Englewood. During this shooting a group of BGDs from 66th Street started calling themselves “Gangster Disciples” dropping the “B” or “Black” out of their name. In court documents the men represented “GD” and BDs acknowledged them as GDs and not as BGDs.
As this violence between BGDs and BDs ensued in 1991, Larry Hoover was trying to demonstrate to many of his members the “Growth and Development” ways. The name was slightly changed leaving out the “Better” part that was part of the original 1987 plan, this was another step toward “GD” becoming the new ways, however, Growth and Development had nothing to do with the name change or the violence it was purely coincidental because the initials of Growth and Development were “GD.”
Between 1991 to 1994, the wars between BGDs and BDs were increasing as members of each gang couldn’t hardly walk around the neighborhood without getting shot at by each other. It was almost like you couldn’t even move a muscle. During this time more and more Englewood BGDs began to call themselves “GDs” and more were dropping the “B” and now more BGDs city-wide were dropping the B.
Gangster Disciples made a slow progression moving into the Marquette Park neighborhood in the late1980s until they established a full-fledged chapter by 1991 after migrating from West Englewood. The GDs also moved north of 59th Street into the Gage Park neighborhood where they recruited Mexican youths that were part of the G-Town Two Six group, this brought about the first major non-black sections of GDs operating in Gage Park. In the year 1992 these Gage Park GDs were able to spread to the suburb of Cicero creating the “Hell Zone” GDs.
In 1993, the BDs and BGDs reached some peace but it only lasted a year or two then war became permanent in 1994. 1993 was the year Growth and Development became official and was publicly released. 1994 was the year that BGDs officially became “Gangster Disciples.” Some members still used BGD until 1994 including Gator that went before the White House in January of 1994 and spoke about “Better Growth and Development” but this was the last time BGD name was used in public.
By 1993, the Gangsters Disciples were trying a new political move known as “21st Century V.O.T.E” which was an attempt to get Gangster Disciple members into politics. To the public it was meant to help rehab neighborhoods and bring about positive change, but critics and law enforcement saw it as a way to help expand Gangster Disciple illegal operations. At that same time in 1993 Larry Hoover was trying to get out of prison and was up for parole. Over 10,000 members of the Gangsters Disciples gathered at a large picnic in Kankakee Illinois where Larry Hoover gave a speech (not live) to all the GDs there. He further expanded on “Growth and Development” which was the new term Larry Hoover wanted to use to replace the Gangsters Disciples term. As I said before, Growth and Development concepts were to help GDs better themselves and to help better their community instead of fueling the problems that existed in their neighborhoods. Afterward there was a flood of letters to Governor Jim Ryan pleading with him to allow the parole of Larry Hoover; however, Larry Hoover was denied parole. Things only got worse in 1995 when the Chicago Police launched “Operation Headache” which took down 39 high ranking members of the Gangsters Disciples including Larry Hoover and Andrew Howard who had been on parole since 1992. Larry Hoover was brought up on several drug conspiracy charges that dated all the way back to 1970 which was the time when the Gangsters and Disciples started to operate a major drug cartel mostly of Cocaine and Heroin. Hoover and several of his top Generals and Lieutenants were being arraigned on charges of supplying small time dealers, extorting money, and running their own drug cartel that was worth millions of dollars. By the end of the trials in 1997 Larry Hoover was transferred to United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado which is a super maximum-security prison, which effectively cut off over 95% of Hoover’s communication with the outside world.
During the 1990s recruitment of Hispanics and whites exploded mainly in the suburbs as the Gangster Disciples appeared to be a mixed-race organization out the burbs but in the city it was still a vast majority black organization besides some territory in the Uptown area and some other north side areas.
Starting in the late 1980s and escalating in the early 1990s, the Gangster Disciples were operating highly sophisticated crack cocaine operations in the Robert Taylor Homes, Cabrini Green high rise and low rises, Dearborn homes mid-rises and the Stateway Gardens. The GDs ran most of the buildings within these public housing complexes and began a $100,000,000 a year crack cocaine operation just in Cabrini Green alone. Soldiers in the organization worked around the clock 24 hours a day serving crack cocaine as they worked in shifts. The GDs ran public housing project buildings with an iron fist as they had armed security that even patted down residents as they came home, GDs also imposed a curfew on residents after hours so they could control the drug trade more efficiently during peak hours which was later at nights. Rules were very strict, especially in Cabrini Green where Gangsters were ordered to meet in the courtyard each night to do exercises just like in the military. There was no tolerance for disobeying any rules and refusing to work your shifts or members were severely beaten or even killed for refusing to do security. GDs were heavily armed in the public housing projects with automatic weapons as they patrolled the project hallways. The drug sales in the public housing developments gave the Gangster Disciples a massive boost in the overall growth and developing of their organization. The GDs took advantage of the City and CHAs lack of interest in the public housing high rises. There were young kids living in the projects poor and struggling in life, the GDs recruited them and turned them into soldiers that were paid and fed while no one else cared. Drug addicts had already taken over the projects since the 1960s, the GDs were there to feed their need and all this was neglected by the city, it makes you wonder who really the bad guy is, the city and police neglected these developments and the GDs came in to a place no one cared about.
Before the demolition of the Cabrini Green and Robert Taylor Homes housing projects in the 1990s and 2000s, the GDs were pulling in well over $100 million dollars in drug profits on a yearly basis in these buildings (for more details see my Cabrini Green and Robert Taylor histories). The organization eventually swelled to over 35,000 members.
The Gangster Disciple history is more than just drugs and killing, there is also an activism side of this organization that has been rooted deep since the 1960s. For many years the Gangster Disciples have preached to young Disciples to keep their lives in order and to live as good men to their families and their community. Many of the older members that once were convicted of murders and other serious crimes have become outspoken about true leadership and developing young black men into productive members of society. This could be anything from just being a working man that takes part in Gangster Disciple politics up to being an active member of the crime family within the Gangster Disciples that does not take part in destroying his community and instead works to protect the neighborhood. The BOS message is still strong today in the hearts of many, but sadly many younger members have lost that message and don’t even know who Larry Hoover is.
In present years the Gangster Disciples are divided into warring factions that often hate each other more than they do BDs and People mobs. There is violent and uncontrollable killing with no structure for these decks all over the city and suburbs.
Colors & meaning[ ]
The Gangster Disciples symbol is the star of King David which has 6 points, and every point on the star has its own meaning; Love, Life, Loyalty, Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding. The colors of the Gangster Disciples are Blue, Grey, and Black. Black stands for the unity of all black people. Blue is for the heavenly sky which blesses all Disciples.
LOVE | Love of the Nation is greater than mere love alone, because we have a brotherhood in which love is as deep as the deep blue sea. TRUE BLUE LOVE |
LIFE | Life commitment to the Nation for the betterment of ourselves as well as the Nation and each committed brother within the Nation, and our Nation's teachings, laws, creeds, symbols, philosophy and defense. |
LOYALTY | To yourself, and each committed brother of our Nation. |
WISDOM | Collectively embraces all concepts, ideas, and actions that apply to our Nation. Togetherness is essential in order for us to continue our survival. |
KNOWLEDGE | Is insight, therefore it is priceless, it gives one the ability to apply rational judgement. Knowledge is the ability to have a conscious awareness, and knowledge gained and not passed along is wasted knowledge. |
UNDERSTANDING | Shows that we are able to communicate effectively, bringing about agreements, and a positive state of mind |