Uptown Rebels

The Uptown Rebels came about in the year 1969 at the intersection of Montrose and Malden in the Uptown neighborhood.  At this intersection was a large apartment complex for very impoverished families mainly among southern Appalachians.   In this year of 1969 it couldn’t be ignored that the crime rate and migration of undesirables increased greatly.  The Uptown Rebels mainly blamed this change on the sudden increased migration of blacks into Uptown that year as many properties in Uptown became affordable for impoverished black and Hispanic families.  Alongside these migrating black families came the Conservative Vice Lords, Black P Stones and Black Gangster Disciples.  The Black Gangster Disciples were within the closest proximity of the original Rebels causing a gang clash.

What needs to be understood about the Uptown Rebels is this group was created among some of the poorest Appalachian families in the community as these original members were from families of renters that couldn’t afford their own homes and relied on the Montrose and Malden apartment complex for shelter.  These families migrated here in the 1950s when original Rebels were only children or before they were born.  Regardless of living in such poverty these families were satisfied with their surroundings and saw this new migration wave as a threat.  It was also well-known in the neighborhood that crime was increasing and was tagging alongside this migration wave.  The Uptown Rebels formed to fight off this wave and keep their territory secure.

In the year 1971 the White Power Organization alliance/cease fire was established among north side white gangs which brought Gaylords and Rebels closer together.  Even after WPO mostly fell apart in 1975 due to wars the Gaylords had with Simon City Royals and Insane Popes the Uptown Rebels continued to honor all the concepts of the WPO.

In the 1970s the Uptown Rebels swelled in numbers and took the area of Sunnyside to Montrose and from Clark Street to Clifton.  The Rebels allied with the Gaylords as both gangs had the cause of preserving the Uptown neighborhood older way of life that made the community happier and safer.  The Uptown Rebels fought hard for this in the 70s.  The Rebels were more focused on fighting with Black Gangster Disciples as their worst enemies while Gaylords fought Latin Kings and Harrison Gents as their arch rivals.

In the late 1970s the Uptown Rebels opened up a cocaine distribution operation at the intersection of Montrose and Malden and were under the leadership of Randy Price and the Uptown Rebels dominated the apartment buildings at this intersection while moving cocaine in and outside of the buildings.

In 1980 the Brazers arrived becoming a new arch rival of the Rebels.  The Brazers arrived from Pilsen and were an outside gang.  Rebels and Gaylords teamed up on the Brazers unless the Brazers got the Black Gangster Disciples involved.  In the 1980s the Uptown Rebels would get into a major gang war with Latin Eagles after they settled these streets.

In the year 1981 the Uptown Rebels joined the People Nation alliance alongside the Gaylords which meant the Rebels had to lay off Latin Kings, Vice Lords and El Rukns (Black P Stones).

The Rebels and Gaylords connected with white supremacist leader Jack Quinn who became the leader of the Chicago chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, Quinn connected with the youths of the Gaylords and Rebels and together many hate crimes were committed in the Uptown neighborhood that included a black man being beaten to death by a member of either the Gaylords or Uptown Rebels in 1986.

In the year 1984 a documentary on the Uptown Rebels was made which was the first time public attention was paid to the street gang.  Hate crimes became the main M.O. of the Rebels especially hate crimes against members of rival minority gangs, by the late 1980s police began applying heavy pressure on the hate groups of Uptown and this led to the decline in Uptown Rebel numbers, also the leader Randy Price moved to Kentucky and was arrested on drug charges in Kentucky.  In the year 1990 the Uptown Rebels officially closed their operations.

What else needs to be understood about the Uptown Rebels is even though they connected with the KKK they were not actually a white supremist group.  In Uptown Rebel territory many blacks lived in this area and several supported the Rebels.  Some high ranking members of the Rebels even had black girlfriends.  The Uptown Rebels displayed hatred toward blacks only to deter heavy black migration and especially migration of black street gangs.

Please send in 1960s, 1970s and 1980s pics!

Questions:

1. Did the Rebels form in 1968 or 1969?
2. Who was the founder and what happened to him?
3. Did the Rebels have any other sections besides Montrose and Malden?  If so what years did they open and close?
4. What was the name of that 1984 documentary and how can it be watched?
5. Was Jack Quinn ever a Rebel?

Known sections of the Uptown Rebels from the past

Uptown neighborhood Established 1969-1990

Sections of Uptown

Sunnyside to Montrose, Clark to Clifton Established 1969-1990