Unknown Vice Lords - Chicago Gang History

Founded	Founded c. 1967 by Willie Lloyd in or near East Garfield Park
Affiliations	People Nation — c. 1981 – 2000 or later;
Colors	Give details
Primary ethnicities	African American
Symbols	Give details
Status	Active

1967: the 5^th City foundation

The history of the Unknown Vice Lords is an interesting one because the founders of the original UVLs were famous founders of other mobs. The main founder of the UVLs is Willie Lloyd who got his start as a Conservative Vice Lord in 1964. In 1965 Willie Lloyd had worked his way up to becoming a CVL Enforcer. This was all while Willie Lloyd was in junior high and high school which goes to show that Lloyd was a natural born leader and was so good at it that he launched a major recruitment drive of CVLs. Willie Lloyd was cousins with Walter Wheat, the later founder of the Four Corner Hustlers. Fred Gage was another Four Corner Hustler founder that was once linked up with Willie Lloyd. Fred Gage’s father was an original Vice Lord that became an original Executioner Vice Lord. Horace “King Pee Wee” Willis, who later founded the Black Souls was another original UVL. In the year 1967, these 16 year old youths from Garfield Park put together their own Vice Lord outfit that Willie Lloyd received the blessing for straight from Holy City because of his ability to recruit and lead. Walter Wheat, Fred Gage and Horace Willis were from West Garfield Park and were to establish UVL out there but the core of the Unknown Vice Lords would be established in East Garfield Park in the “5^th City” of “Ghost Town” area between Madison Street to Congress Parkway and from Central Park Avenue to Kedzie Avenue. The arrangement seemed to be that Willie would establish UVL east of Garfield Park while Walt Wheat and Fred Gage established UVL west of the park.

The “Unknown” part of the Unknown Vice Lord name was said to have come from members reading newspaper reports that fascinated early members when the suspects of crimes were reported as “Unknown.” Lloyd wanted a strongly unified group which brought in the “Undivided” concepts (Undivided Can’t Hide It!).

1969: War with the 4s

Since the UVLs began in 1967, the UVLs in West Garfield Park were in a coalition with the Supreme Gangster leader Ike “King Ike” Taylor, one of the co-founders of the Supreme Gangsters. This coalition was called “Black Revolutionary Soul Brothers” which was mainly organized by Horace Willis. This was not a gang at all, this was just like the name said, black revolutionaries aiming to protect their community and be aware of a war against black people on the west side inflicted by the U.S. government and law enforcement. By 1968, Walter Wheat and Fred Gage were forming the Four Corner Hustlers, by 1969, the Four Corner Hustlers completely broke away and were no long UVLs. Horace Willis was shot to death by Chicago police and his predecessors started the Black Souls gang. Willie Lloyd was unhappy with the loss of West Garfield Park and declared 40 days of war against the Four Corner Hustlers. The war would eventually resolve but the Four Corner Hustler and Black Soul founders had become long forgotten original members of the Unknown Vice Lords.

Wicker Park: 1971

In the year 1971, increased African American migration came to Hoyne Avenue in the Wicker Park community. Although African Americans had been living in Wicker Park since the 1900s decade, they were especially not welcomed in this second migration wave. These African American families were taking up residence in the many apartments up and down Hoyne Avenue and a sudden Vice Lord wave hit these apartments. At Evergreen and Hoyne, Conservative Vice Lords became the big African American mob in the neighborhood. Up the street from the CVLs, Unknown Vice Lords moved up Hoyne Avenue onto Pierce Avenue. UVLs and CVLs along with Insane Vice Lords fought racial battles in this neighborhood against Latin Kings, Warlords and several other Puerto Rican and white gangs. I am not sure how long UVLs lasted in this neighborhood.

Willie Lloyd: the 1971 shooting death of police officer Michael Farnsworth

Willie Lloyd’s reputation for violence exceeded him further in December of 1971. Willie Lloyd and four others took a long drive out to the quad cities to Davenport, Iowa where one of their members was residing. The men came to this small city to do stick up robberies and their first spot was the Little Green Apple Tavern. The men held up the tavern at gun point and took cash and took a nickel plated .38 caliber revolver from the tavern. Then on December 5, 1971, the crew visited the Quality Inn Motel in downtown Davenport in search of a room frequented by a Davenport police officer Leon Washington thanks to a tipster. They were hoping to break into his room when he wasn’t there and steal his money and weapons, but they picked the wrong room and robbed another man instead. After robbing the man, they tied him up then went back to looking for Washington’s room. When the men found the room, the other man tied up in the previous room broke free and called the police while the crew robbed and tied up Leon Washington. This is when Davenport rookie police officer Michael Farnsworth showed up with his partner and both men were shot at immediately, upon the second shot from the .38 caliber revolver a bullet struck Farnsworth in the head killing him instantly. Four of the five men were arrested and charged with murder. Willie Lloyd himself did not fire any weapons at the officers but he was still convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison, but he only served 15 of those years. Even though he didn’t shoot anyone he was still hailed as a cold-blooded killer by authorities and by UVL members back in Chicago which not only boosted the reputation of Willie Lloyd but also of the UVLs. During his time in prison out in Iowa, Willie Lloyd still controlled UVL operations.

West Humboldt Park: 1975, and the Augusta & Monticello Outlaws

In the year 1975, West Humboldt Park began a second wave of racial change as the rest of the white population moved out and the Puerto Rican population moved north of Chicago Avenue towards the park (Humboldt Park recreational park) and the Latin Kings went with them. The area between Chicago Avenue and Franklin/Ferdinand was occupied by Supreme Gangsters and Black Souls until the Black P Stones took over in 1972. The Stones left the area in 1975 and slews of Vice Lords moved into that area especially Conservative Vice Lords. Insane Vice Lords and Traveling Vice Lords would also dominate this area but some Unknown Vice Lords would move from Chicago Avenue to Ferdinand between Central Park Ave and Drake, but these UVLs mainly would be blended with other Vice Lord mobs. The major group of UVLs moved to Augusta and Monticello and “Poo Poo” was the founder of this group. Poo Poo’s right hand man was “Ghost” who would spread UVLs to Augusta and Avers. Within no time the UVLs had the area of Division to Augusta and from Avers to Drake which became the main UVL West Humboldt Park neighborhood for decades.

By the late 1980s Poo Poo and a lot of the original UVLs were no longer running Augusta and Monticello and the area was taken over by the “Outlaw Unknown Vice Lords” who were strong in this area at least through the early 90s. Beginning in 1991 many of these UVLs flipped to Conservative Vice Lords then flipped to Four Corner Hustlers until the flipping nearly closed the UVLs by 1993. It is said though that these UVLs still exist at Augusta and Monticello but it is not certain.

Austin, Lockwood & Iowa: 1976-1977

Between the years 1976-1977 the Austin neighborhood was ripe with gang activity mainly from Conservative Vice Lords, Black P Stones, Four Corner Hustlers, Cicero Insane Vice Lords, Traveling Vice Lords, Insane Vice Lords, Central Insane Vice Lords, Imperial Insane Vice Lords and Undertaker Vice Lords. By the mid-70s Conservative Vice Lords, Traveling Vice Lords, Black P Stones and Four Corner Hustlers were advancing north toward North Avenue and a racial clash was continuing between these gangs and the Gaylords and Taylor Jousters, two white gangs. A high ranking Elite Unknown Vice Lord by the name of Dwight came to Austin at Iowa and Lockwood and recruited youths in the area into the UVLs which was the first group of UVLs in Austin. The UVLs would have battles with Four Corner Hustlers and Black P Stones.

There were also many Unknown Vice Lords built up along Monroe Street near Four Corner Hustler hood, the Four Corner Hustler turf was known as “Capitol Hill” as was the Monroe Avenue UVLs but I am not clear where on Monroe the Capitol Hill UVLs were at, perhaps I will in time.

In about the early 80s there was a crew of youths from Augusta and Waller that were a hang out crew really into Cadillac cars called the “Cadillac Boys.” These boys were eventually recruited by Chief “Noon” who came to the neighborhood and turned them out, “Scooter” became the section leader of these UVLs and the whole headquarters for August Avenue UVLs was Augusta and Waller.

For decades, since the late 70s, the Unknown Vice Lords have maintained a major presence in the Austin neighborhood and are still active.

Maywood and Bellwood

Unknown Vice Lords have not had a major presence in the suburbs but in Maywood and Bellwood, UVLs have been in those western suburban communities since at least 1980 and maybe 1979. The UVLs remain deep in these two suburbs.

The Unknown Conservative Vice Lords

UVLs even got involved in politics and voter’s leagues under the name “Unknown Conservative Vice Lords” in 1984 which was said to help mask their illegal activities.

The release of Willie Lloyd

In December of 1986, Willie Lloyd was paroled much to the objection of Iowa State police and Davenport police, but Willie was headed back to Chicago’s west side. When Willie got back, he had earned high rank in the overall Almighty Vice Lord Nation and now that he was free he took over all leadership of the whole nation which meant he was in command of all Vice Lord branches while still being in charge of UVLs simultaneously. Willie Lloyd’s time in prison was significant to say the least and he rose to become a 5 Star Universal Elite in the Almighty Vice Lord nation. The police nationwide were still upset about Lloyd’s release and some Minneapolis police officers got revenge in October of 1988 when they beat Willie in the streets of Minneapolis. The reason why Lloyd was in Minneapolis is because he had family that lived there, and it was said that he was drug trafficking and/or holding meetings at his sister’s house for operations between Minneapolis and Chicago. Lloyd oversaw 150 UVL members in Minneapolis and they were best known for selling Crack and robbing other drug dealers.

Willie Lloyd’s second bid in prison

More troubles fell upon Willie Lloyd in 1989 when he was arrested and convicted on illegal weapons charges possessing a Mac-10 machine gun and for attempting to shoot down a police officer. Lloyd was convicted and went back to prison, this time he was in an Illinois prison for the first time. While locked away in this short prison stint of about 2 ½ years Lloyd began using heroin and got addicted to the drug. He became somewhat reckless while addicted and much of the nation wanted him removed from power as he was now viewed as a high risk. Lloyd even had an argument with top leadership of the Four Corner Hustlers and started a war with them because the Chief of the Four Corner Hustlers, Monroe Banks wanted to kill someone and Willie made him wait until Willie got out of prison, a request Banks ignored so Lloyd declared war.

Second release of Willie Lloyd

On December 30, 1992, Willie Lloyd was released from prison once again and strutted out of prison surrounded by body guards while wearing flashy clothing. Lloyd was determined to restore his power of the Vice Lord Nation even in the face of adversaries. As soon as Willie got home there was already disputes over drugs and monies owed. There was also a major war erupting over the North Ave drug trade with the Four Corner Hustlers making Willie a marked man. Willie was arguing within his own and lashed out on his interim leader “Baby Ty” which divided the UVLs into warring factions. Willie Lloyd faced more legal issues as he was now facing charges of armed Robbery and unlawful restraint leading off the year 1993. During his trials there were a few attempted hits made on him. Once was on the Eisenhower Expressway when men shot his car up when his girlfriend and child and driver were the only occupants, no one was killed. One of Willie’s former top Lieutenants Cardell Williams and his faction of the Unknown Vice Lords was responsible for the shooting of the car on March 26^th. Earlier that month Willie himself ordered the kidnapping of Tyrone Williams, the brother of Cardell. Cardell’s crew had gotten revenge by kidnapping two young teen boys working drug spots for Lloyd’s faction and they were dragged to railroad trucks as they cried and begged for their lives, but they were both shot to death execution style. Both these UVL factions were accustomed to robbing each other and were at total war. It got to the point where Willie and even his lawyer needed to wear a bullet proof vest to court. In October of 1993, another attempt was made on Willie as his car was shot about 30 times, but Willie was only shot in the leg while his girlfriend and his daughter once again survived unscathed.

The third incarceration of Willie Lloyd

In the year 1994, the authorities closed in on Willie Lloyd and brought up felony gun charges on him, being a third time felon, Willie Lloyd was put in prison again until 2001. After Lloyd’s incarceration many UVLs flipped to CVLs and Four Corner Hustlers, especially in West Humboldt Park, a trend that started during the UVL civil wars.

Lloyd after prison

Willie Lloyd was released from prison in 2002 and came out a changed man. This time, Lloyd was not interested in selling drugs and running an empire, instead he became interested in social work. According to the Chicago Defender July 21, 2015 issue Willie Lloyd work with “Chicago’s School of Public Health, where he worked with the Chicago Project for Violence. He also involved himself with Cease Fire, a program that provides gang mediation efforts while mentoring at a Westside church.” On August 21, 2003, Willie Lloyd was shot six times while walking his dogs in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, although Lloyd survived he was paralyzed from the neck down until he died in 2015.

The legacy of Willie Lloyd and the Unknown Vice Lords

Willie Lloyd had a strong influence on the streets and rarely even cussed unless he was really mad. Lloyd also was one that was keen on keeping your word and held his guys to that. Lloyd was a money maker in the drug game but he was also part of African American rights groups while incarcerated and sat alongside the biggest Vice Lords, GDs, Black P Stones, BDs. MCs in the city.

Unknown Vice Lords are not as large as they once were but are still approximately the fourth largest Vice Lord faction and are still strong in East Garfield Park and Austin.

Austin neighborhood, established 1976-77

Decks of Austin

Lemoyne to Hirsch, Laramie to Leclaire

Ohio to Kinzie, Central to Long

Maypole to West End, Cicero to Kenton

Unknown Vice Lords and Imperial Insane Vice Lords-Erie & Cicero

Huron & Lavergne

Iowa & Latrobe

Maypole & Kilpatrick

Ohio & Lavergne

East Garfield Park neighborhood, established 1967

Decks of East Garfield Park