Latin Kings

For those of you that follow this page over time, you might get a little flustered that I keep changing the history.  Please do not be discouraged by this because this is the result of me finding out more historical information on the Latin Kings as time passes.  Please remember, just like a scientist, research develops over time and trial and error occurs.  Just like any science, it takes time to perfect a project, and this surely has taken me many years to learn the details of the Latin King history. This is a slow development and tracking down original Latin Kings and/or people that knew them and know the story has been very taxing.  There are several variations of the story, but I try to only acknowledge variations that multiple people state was the founding story and not just one person unless that person was a solid member in the older days.  Not all variations are correct and there is always one truth. The Latin King history is challenging to track to say the least, but I have a passion for it and am always excited to learn more.  I enjoy being as detailed as possible about the early history of the Latin Kings and sometimes it has led me to misunderstandings of the history or as led me to false info.  Rest assured my research methods on collecting the Latin King history have improved over time and will continue to improve to weed out the bullshit.

The beginning of the Latin Kings has roots that trace back to the year 1954 on the Near West Side of Chicago.  It is confirmed the Latin King genesis began on the Near West Side streets but the 1954 year is not completely confirmed; however, I have heard from multiple sources for many years that 1954 is the exact year; therefore, I will somewhat stand behind it.  This does not mean the name “Latin Kings” goes back to 1954, it only means the concepts and original Latin Kings have history going this far back; therefore, I give the Latin Kings credit for 1954 roots as a possibility, just not by the name “Latin Kings,” that came later.

The Near West Side community is the motherland for not only the Latin Kings but for all original gangbanging for Hispanic based street gangs in general that would have significance.  It also a known fact that Latin Kings formerly had operations on Newberry Street among other streets that has old origins.  I can confirm that Near West Side is the motherland of Latin King origins but I am open to any plausible refute; however, I do not expect any refute but I am all ears.

I had previously heard that Ramon “King Papo” Santos was the founder of this organization that was founded in 1954 but my sources were weak and not very fruitful; however, over time I made the mistake of declaring that official.  That stops here until I get better confirmation that Ramon Santos had anything to do with the Near West Side or Laflin and Van Buren.  What is a fact though is the foundation and first gang tied to original Latin Kings did come from Laflin and Van Buren as the “Skulls”.  As far as the founders, that part I do not have confidence in.  Was it Santos? Compa? Don Juan? Dino?  I do not know.

I had heard once before that Ramon Santos started the “Imperials” at Laflin and Van Buren and I admit I ran with it.  As time passed, I never heard any further confirmation of an “Imperials” gang or any link to Ramon Santos either.  In old social services records the only gang that may have carried that name is an African American outfit from the west side but no Hispanic gangs with that name; therefore, I am throwing that name out until I hear otherside.  What I do know for a solid fact is that the gang called the “Skulls” was formed on the streets of the Near West Side in the 1950s and by 1958 at latest.  The Skulls were documented and identified by social services in 1959 and were serviced in the “Henry Horner” or “HH” area which is the Henry Horner projects area of the Near West Side.  This does not mean this location only worked with the project gangs it just means it was the general Medical District area which is exactly where Laflin and Van Buren is.  It makes complete sense that the HH social services location would work with the Skulls from the Laflin and Van Buren area; therefore, the Skulls were the group that came from Laflin and Van Buren in 1954 or maybe a little later.  I cannot confirm and cannot say that Ramon Santos was a Skull or organized this group.  I personally believe original Latin Kings like Dino “Don Juan” were the founders of the Skulls but cannot confirm.  It is possible Ramon Santos did not even reside in Chicago at this time and possibly some other original Latin Kings didn’t either.

There is a legend that says New York City was the actual motherland of the Latin Kings.  This is not correct but may have some slight truth.  The only way I can see this as true is tied to a legend that states Ramon Santos originally moved to Chicago from New York City and that he was a member of a Puerto Rican gang called the “Young Lords” (not to be mistaken with the Young Lords of Chicago Illinois).  From what I know about the Noble Knights and Young Lords is that they were a group from NYC that had revolutionary ideas and were for the protection of Hispanic people facing discrimination in their communities.  If it is true that Santos came from New York, he would have shared the concepts of the Young Lords with other original Latin Kings that would have been sewn into original Latin King concepts.  This does not credit New York City as a place of origin for the Latin Kings, it only means these NYC concepts are tied to one original Latin King and there should be no credit given to NYC as the motherland simply based upon some concepts brought in by one man; however, I am all ears to hear any further background about Santos and NYC/Noble Knights/Young Lords.  I also want to state the Noble Knights and Young Lords of NYC likely did not operate on the streets of Chicago.  Chicago does not and never has allowed outside organizations to operate in this city successfully over long periods of time.

One legend I heard is that Ramon “King Papo” Santos formed his original gang at Laflin and Van Buren alongside his stepbrother Fast Eddie and another.  Santos was born in Cuba but migrated to Puerto Rico at a young age then to the United States.  This gave Santos a duel cultural identity as both Puerto Rican and Cuban which gave him motivation to bring all Hispanics together. Fast Eddie was Puerto Rican.  I haven’t heard much of this legend, but it was said that Papo, Fast Eddie and another started this 1954 group.  I want to clarify that I am not taking away any Latin King foundation from Santos, all I am saying is I have no evidence or solid stories to place him to the year 1954 or the Latin Kings.  Nor can I link him to the Skulls, or a possible gang called the “Imperials.”  I will clarify that Fast Eddie and Ramon Santos ARE original Latin Kings, I just can’t give credit to 1954 or them even gangbanging on the streets of the Near West Side in the 1950s.  I was given a birthdate for Santos as August 30, 1940, but that was a brief source and I never heard anything else since then.  Fast Eddie was born in the year 1949 so there is no way he was part of the 1950s history.  If Santos was born in the early 40s it could make sense he was gangbanging on the Near West Side in the earlier 50s but certainly not if he was born later in the decade like Fast Eddie.  The Skulls were the first group that co-founded the Latin Kings later.  If there was another group I would have my doubts.  If Santos was an original from the 50s he would have had to have come from or founded the Skulls.  If there was another group I am missing, I am all ears but it is a fact the Skulls were on the Near West Side in the 50s and became one of the main gangs that formed the Latin Kings later.  It is possible that if the 18th and Wabash legend is true then perhaps Santos started the “Imperials” at 18th and Wabash but I have never heard of any gang in history being formed on the South Loop streets.  18th and Wabash area by the early 60s was a seedy and rough area where people of color lived in harsh conditions.  Most of this was erradicated when the Harold Ickes projects were built in the mid-50s but the area was still rough and could have had gang activity I never heard of.  It is a fact that Puerto Rican people settled in the downtown area to work at the many downtown hotels and restaurants and that could have brought Santos there.  There is a lot of mystery about Santos and no one is sharing any good details about him which is a shame because this history should be brought to light not forgotten!

For now, I am going to craft this early Latin King genesis to the Skulls street gang of the Near West Side and place them at Laflin and Van Buren or in that area in the 1950s.  I heard very credible legends that this early activity was occurring at Madison and Paulina on the Near West Side by the late 1950s.  I was never given the name of the gang, but I was told by very good sources from the Latin Kings and Spanish Lord foundation that original Latin Kings were gangbanging at Madison and Paulina in the late 50s against white and African American gangs that were hostile toward Hispanic people in the area.  This was before the “Latin King” name was born. Madison and Paulina is a few blocks from Laflin and Van Buren; therefore, I will place this early pre-Latin King activity to the territory of Madison Street on the north, Van Buren on the south, Laflin on the east and Paulina on the west.  This is very likely the original motherland sector of the original Latin Kings before they became “Latin Kings.”  I highly believe this was the territory of the Skulls prior to moving to West Town.

It is a fact that African American gangs like the Egyptian Cobras, Clovers and Chaplains were very aggressive and known to be hostile toward Hispanic people and white people in this community; therefore, it is likely these gangs were some of the Skulls’ first rivals.  The Italian gangs along Taylor Street were equally if not more vicious than African American gangs and were known for bullying Hispanic and African American gangs.  It is a known fact that the Almighty Ambrose organization was founded on the Near West Side because of their clashes with the Taylor Street Dukes and other allied Italian gangs along Taylor Street and I have no doubt the original Skulls clashed with these Italian gangs too. Italian gangs of Taylor Street were so aggressive that they invaded nearby communities that housed any Hispanic people like Pilsen and Little Village.  The foundation of the Latin Counts was partially based on Taylor Street Italian gangs invading 18^th Street.  With this being said, I would almost guarantee this was the same push that brought the Skulls together to take on these same Italian gangs.

Eddie “King Tiger” Rodriguez, a Puerto Rican youth and Joe Gunn, a Mexican youth were part of the original foundation but I can’t say if they were Skulls.  Eddie Rodriguez was born in 1952 so that would have made him 12 years old when the Latin Kings were started, so he couldn’t have been part of the Skulls until they moved to Eckhart Park in 1963 at the least.  Julio “Compa” Munoz, is one of the oldest Latin Kings and was born in 1936 and was said to be an original from the 1950s within this group but I have never heard anything more credible to support that claim that he was a Skull, I was only told one time he was an original of an unnamed gang from the 1950s, that is not enough to go on but I think he was a Skull.  I can confirm these guys were eventually linked, but I cannot confirm they were linked with Ramon Santos in the 50s nor can I confirm they were Skulls.  It is also said this was the birthing of the crown as a symbol, tied to this original Near West Side formation but I cannot confirm that because I haven’t heard enough about it.

In summary, I will confirm the Skulls came from the Near West Side at Laflin and Van Buren area and were formed no later than 1958. I just can’t confirm who started it or who was in it and I can’t confirm the 1954 year as anything significant.

Now I will go into more of what I know with some more solid facts that has been backed up by legend and by documents.  This is the part of the foundation that begins in the West Humboldt Park community in the year 1960.  For years I have heard old school white former gang members claim the “Latin Kings” were around in the early 60s and that they fought them or saw them.  I continued to be dismissive of these claims thinking these older guys just have their dates wrong or that they recognized the original Latin Kings in the early 60s and automatically considered them to be Latin Kings in the early 60s years and assumed they were LKN back then.  In a recent development I was now given more facts and details that made their claims make sense.  A 1969 Rising Up Angry article with Latin King history was the document I needed to totally understand and verify this.  The story goes like this:

In the year 1960, the non-white population of Humboldt Park was 1% that was mostly African American while the Hispanic population was so small in the 50s it wasn’t noticeable.  During the late part of the 1950s only two gangs were confirmed to exist in East or West Humboldt Park and that was the Simon City gang of Drake and Wabansia and the Jokers of Cortez and Washtenaw.  These white gangs from opposite sides of the park hated each other deeply and fought viciously but they also often bullied Hispanic youths in the Humboldt Park area especially the Jokers were famous for this bullying to the point where it became downright scary. The Jokers were completely crazy, and some members seemed to be almost psychotic.  This was deeply concerning and troubling for Hispanic youths and Hispanic young adults trying to survive on these streets.  The Jokers were not a gang that was several hundred deep or anything like that, so this was not just dished out by this one group, there were multiple non-gang groups that spat on and tormented Hispanic youths in the Humboldt Park area.  Beginning in the year 1960, Hispanic families being evicted out of the Near West Side or Lincoln Park began taking up residence around an area of West Humboldt Park that encompassed Chicago Avenue on the north, Franklin/Ferdinand on the south, Sacramento Boulevard on the east and Pulaski on the west.  In this southern most sector of West Humboldt Park white flight began to take off mostly because the East Garfield Park neighborhood to the south became a blighted and high crime neighborhood now full of violent African American gangs like the Vice Lords by 1960.  This made the area become redlined and block busted in the early 60s and now displaced Puerto Rican families could afford the southern most streets of West Humboldt Park.  This was not exactly an ideal place for these families to settle due to how prideful Humboldt Park was in being a white community, but these families had no other choice but to endure racial torment.

In the year 1960, Puerto Rican youths began to gather at the center of this area at Spaulding and Ohio outside of Samuel Morse Elementary School and formed their own gang to battle against the Jokers and a slew of Chicago Avenue greaser clubs.  These Chicago Avenue greaser clubs were: Chicago and Lawndale, Chicago Avenue Gang, Harding Drakers (from Chicago and Harding).  These gangs would not allow Puerto Ricans to cross north of Chicago Avenue.  The Jokers would not allow these youths to go east of Sacramento into the East Humboldt Park community.  To the west of Pulaski was nothing but industrial area.  South of Ferdinand/Franklin was East Garfield Park that had become a dangerous and blighted high crime area full of African American gangs.  These youths were surrounded by rival groups and were confined to this small area of Chicago.  To make it worse, they were being invaded by all these gangs that victimized this area for a laugh.  This is when the youths gathered at Spaulding and Ohio to form the “Kings.”  They can be referred to as “Spaulding and Ohio Kings” but their true name was one word, the “Kings.”  That is hard to imagine a gang called the “Kings” in later years but back then they were “Kings” and nothing more.  This was the first group that was about “King Love” and sometimes they painted “LK” on the walls because they began to fall in love with the concept of “Latin Kings,” but that was not their official name, just some initials painted on the wall.  This is how I can now verify and understand what these old white guys were talking about.  They fought or encountered the “Kings,” they saw “LK” on the walls, and this made them look back retrospectively and assume the ‘Latin Kings” started in 1960, especially since the original “Kings” would later become original “Latin Kings.”  Hopefully you are not too confused yet because this is confusing, and the confusion is part of the Latin King genesis that we will explore a little later.  I do not know who founded the “Kings” of Spaulding and Ohio, but I wish I did know.  The very next day after Kings formed, “Todge” who was the Warlord of the Jokers, walked over to Spaulding and Ohio and threatened that they were going to beat up the Kings because of their formation.  This threat obviously did not pan out well because the Kings continued to operate while the Jokers went extinct in the 1970s.

Now let’s go to the year 1963 in the West Town community.  This was the year that Puerto Rican people began to move into West Town in higher volume which created a cultural clash.  Prior to 1963, West Town was lightly dotted with Hispanic families from several Latin American backgrounds including Puerto Ricans.  These families faced some discrimination and racial bashing but not to a severe extent.  Over time, most of the youths would blend in with the community and even attach to some the earliest and meanest white gangs like Simon City, Jokers, Gaylords, C-Notes and PVPs.  Heck, some of the original Gaylords and C-Notes were Puerto Rican or Mexican.  In the year 1963, the city approved Mayor Daley’s plan to bulldoze several “slum buildings,” as they were referred to and replace them with the new University of Illinois at Chicago campus.  This caused a mass eviction of Puerto Rican families now forced to move to West Town.  East Humboldt Park, Wicker Park, East Village, Noble Square were now becoming filled with Hispanic families.  Block busting swept West Town like a plague as these greedy real estate companies created racial panic and conflict causing several white families to pack up and leave.  Greedy landlords bought once elegant mansions and slipped them into tenement apartments so they could stuff several impoverished Hispanic families into one building.  The white community was disgusted with such change, but many blamed the Hispanic people instead of blaming big business and the city.  Those that could not afford white flight had to stay around and instead became violently territorial of their community while trying to confine Hispanic families to certain unfair areas or by downright attacking and spitting on Hispanics.  The Hispanic people were not angry, in fact, they understood the hate because they were a foreign group moving into these people’s community.  Regardless of this understanding, Hispanic youths needed to stand up to the hostile white gangs just the Spaulding and Ohio Kings.

Multiple Puerto Rican gangs migrated alongside this Hispanic migration wave from other communities like the Young Lords and Paragons while others formed on the West Town streets.  Many of the Puerto Rican gangs came from Lincoln Park and were part of that displacement like Young Lords and Paragons.  The Skulls were brought here in 1963 because UIC construction forced evictions on them and took up residence right at Eckhart Park.  This area was not controlled by any white gangs; however, the Gaylords loved this park since their founding years and hung out at the park as if it was within their turf.  The Gaylord turf was south of Chicago Avenue and over the Noble Square boundary while the Skulls were mostly residing on the Noble Square side of Chicago Avenue, but others likely resided south of Chicago Avenue right near the Gaylords which further angered the Gaylords.  The Gaylords were as mean as they come and were regarded among the Hispanic community as the “Polish Mafia.”  Gaylords were cruel in their methods and were known for tying up rivals to their car bumper and dragging them across the neighborhood whether the victim was alive or dead.  Gaylords also went to Humboldt Park and slugged it out with groups of Hispanic youths encouraging them to leave the park.  Gaylords even hung dead bodies and stuffed figures from trees of rivals  wearing rival gang sweaters in the middle of the park.  This was one dangerous rival, and the Skulls would have their hands full battling these guys tooth and nail.  The Skulls were led by an individual named “Andy” until he could no longer lead them, and an individual named “Phil” took over.

Because of the struggle the Skulls and the Kings endured they arranged a meeting in 1963 to bring their forces together in an early attempt at pre-Latin King activity.  Both gangs unified and placed “Nando” as the leader of this new coming together.  When it came to naming this new group there was heavy disagreement, miscommunication and an overall misunderstanding.  The Kings wanted their name as the front runner and maybe even wanted “Latin Kings” as the name, but this was not coordinated with the Skulls and no name panned out.  This was a great idea and had great intentions for protecting their families, friends, and neighbors but they couldn’t make it work because without an official name there is no way organizing could happen.

According to the publications of NGCRC researcher George W. Knox, Ramon Santos (he only refers to him as Papa King) resided at 18^th and Wabash and started the Latin Kings there.  There is no way that is possible for the Latin Kings to have started at 18th and Wabash; however, I think he is onto something by just showing that Santos had previous addresses far outside of the West Town/Humboldt Park/Near West Side area.  The fact that he was residing way over there first says to me the possibility that he came from NYC holds weight because it shows he possibly did not grow up in any original Latin King areas.  By 1964, Santos for sure lived in an apartment building located right on the corner of Leavitt and Schiller at address 2216 W. Hirsch.  The 2144 building was torn down by the 2000s and replaced in 2006 by the Schiller and Leavitt high rent condos. 2144 building was right across from Sabin Elementary School and it was rumored that Puerto Rican revolutionaries lived at this corner too, perhaps in the same building as Santos.  Unless I get contradicting information, I will declare that this was the beginning of Ramon “King Papo, Papa Santos or Papa King” Santos’ legacy with the Latin Kings because I cannot confirm the existence of an “Imperials” group or any stories of anyone growing up with him.  He very well could have been a NYC transplant that represents the NYC origin part of the Latin King genesis.

While we are on the subject of the works of George W. Knox and the NGCRC, in his piece “The Chicago Latin Kings: A Gang Threat Analysis,” Knox talks about his theory on the creation of the Latin Kings being traced to a gang called the “Royal Kings.”  George W. Knox works with the NGCRC that works with the Chicago Crime Commission and the police, many of the sources those organizations get Latin Kings history from tend to be snitches, so I don’t trust those type of sources entirely.  I have also never heard the streets talk about a “Royal Kings” nor have I found any sources to support their existence on my own.  Other sources for Knox may have been police files. Many of those sources are often misconstrued and incorrect; however, Knox maybe on to something because he stated their territory was Madison Street to 26^th Street and from Halsted to Western with their biggest influence in the area of Harrison to Roosevelt and Loomis to Ashland with the heart of their turf at Polk and Laflin.  The overall area is massive and covers some of the Near West Side, some of Little Village, most of the Heart of Chicago area and much of Pilsen.  Knox theorizes this could be the origins of the Little Village area Latin Kings, but I strongly doubt that.  I think his territorial area is correct for later Latin King zones but not to be under the name of “Royal Kings.”  I am most interested in his mentions of Polk and Laflin and the area of Harrison the Roosevelt and Loomis to Ashland because that is the legendary area told to be the original zone and the area the Skulls were documented to exist within by social services in March of 1959.  I think he is correct about the streets but not about the name.  If the Royal Kings were ever big enough to encompass four different neighborhoods the name would have surely been remembered by someone or there would be news articles etc.. supporting their existence.

Instead of the “Royal Kings,” the true legends I have encountered are about the “Markings” or “Marshall Boulevard Kings.”  This is further evidenced in the Jinx book “Compliments of Chicagohoodz.” In one of his pages, he presents a 1962 drawing made by a youth that lived in the Near West Side and drew a hand drawn map that shows the “Markings” at Newberry and Roosevelt.  This matches the oral legend exactly for the placement of the “Little Markings.”  The drawing was not made by the same Latin King sources but instead was drawn by a non-gang affiliated kid that just had a interest in the gangs around him in 1962 and documented it.  If it wasn’t for this document, I would doubt the Markings’ existence but now I stand by it.

To keep this timeline intact I must now begin telling the legend of “The Boulevards.”  In the year 1962, white flight began out of Little Village that likely started because of increased crime and gang activity in neighboring communities.  Mexican families forced to move from the Near West Side landed in Little Village beginning in 1962 which was the lands ruled by the ferocious Outlaws Motorcycle Club and the Gay lords (not the same Gaylords as the West Town Gaylords).  These two white gangs ruled Little Village since 1950 and by 1962 they were hard rooted on these streets and were some bad ass gangbangers.  These guys were as scary and as tough as they come and when these groups took up keen interest in migrating Mexican youths it became a downright scary thing for Hispanic kids trying to survive.  Most Hispanic kids attached themselves to white gangs like the 26^th Street Jokers, Supreme Clique or the 23^rd Street Boys.  Some brave Mexican youths dared to start their own gang right outside of Harrison High School and John Spry Elementary School, both located at 24^th and Marshall Boulevard.  This group would name themselves after Marshall Boulevard known as the “Markings.”  This group dared to take on Gay Lords and Outlaws which was a nearly impossible task, but these young Mexican youths were tough enough and this brought about the admiration from the Jokers, Cliques and 23^rd Street Boys that all allied with the Markings.  This was the beginning of a movement for the protection of Hispanic people in Little Village.  The spirit of the Markings was felt in the Near West Side, and this is when the Little Markings developed at Newberry and Roosevelt which is how Latin Kings had an attachment to Newberry Street well into the 1970s at least.  In 1962, the Skulls were still operating in the Near West Side and likely befriended the Markings which gives some background with the connection between the two groups.

In the beginning of 1964, the Skulls had to retreat from Eckhart Park likely because the war with the Gaylords became too intense, but I am sure the police made it worse by attacking and targeting the Skulls in favor of the Gaylords. The Skulls were then led by Phil as their leader that took them here. It is a fact that many Chicago police resented Hispanic migration to the West Town and Humboldt Park areas.  The Skulls then moved to Leavitt and Schiller in Wicker Park which happened to be the home of Ramon Santos.  At this time, I do believe Santos was from NYC and perhaps this was his first encounter with young men that would eventually become the original Latin Kings.  Many of these young men were Skulls who had just arrived at this corner.  Santos had the gift of charisma and was a natural born leader; therefore, he vibed with the Kings and Skulls that were seeking to create an empowering entity geared toward neighborhood protection.  The first attempt in 1963 failed but on Friday May 15, 1964, on a sunny day, Santos helped them to organize as a group and the name “Latin Kings” was born or made official.  In 1964, this was a big risk taking such a name because the Humboldt Park and West Town long time residents were offended by this name according to old school white gang bangers.  The mostly white community did not want to see a name like “Latin Kings” painted on the walls or represented by hundreds of Hispanic youths but now the new Latin Kings were prepared to stand behind the name and fight for it with all their heart.  This was not a name taken lightly and was given serious consideration by serious men.  This was a new force on the streets of West Town and Humboldt Park that would stack up to any white gang alone, even the Gaylords.  Many times, white gangs needed to start truces and temporary alliances just to deal with Latin Kings, it even caused wars between white gangs to simmer because of their hate, fear and spite of the Latin Kings.

The original Latin Kings often took diplomatic approaches to dealing with other gangs in the mid-60s and even hung out with Playboys (P.V.Ps) in certain parts of West Town.  Latin Kings tried to work with other Hispanic gangs like Young Sinners, Young Lords, Spanish Kings, Scorpions, Hirsch Street Lords, Latin Angels, Paragons and became tightest with the Warlords of Wicker Park.  Latin Kings also recruited all races starting in 1964 especially taking in whites. You could be of any race to be a Latin King as long as you fought for what Latin Kings believed.  When this formation first took place this began the legacy of some legendary Latin Kings like Jose “Cadillac Joe” Rivera and “Lefty.”  At Leavitt and Schiller it was even said the Latin Kings connected with the extremist Puerto Rican group the F.A.L.N; however, Latin Kings would never become a terrorist group and have such extreme views but instead took on basic revolutionary ideals from the F.A.L.N, that is if there was even a relationship.

The Latin Kings were now there to protect Hispanic youths that became bullied and beaten as they crossed the neighborhoods, got on or off a school bus, walked to the store, tormented in school and having their lunch money taken.  Latin Kings intervened with crooked landlords and stood against discrimination that adult Hispanics faced in daily life.  Latin Kings also watched the cops closely and intervened if the cops were harassing people or harming people.  The Latin Kings became the guardians of the streets they resided on and protectors.  Latin Kings also watched crime in the community and made sure it stayed out of their territory.  The original Latin Kings put together three original principles.

The first three principles the original Latin Kings lived by was and still is:

1. Protect our families
2. Protect our neighborhoods
3. Protect each other

Ramon Santos was given the original leadership role as the first Latin King leader in history and he would be the leader of the entire organization all through the 1960s.  Leavitt and Schiller was the original governing section for all Latin Kings city-wide.  The Latin Kings were just a West Town/Humboldt Park group from 1964-1966 and had not yet branched out city-wide.  In 1964, no documents or newspapers had even picked up on them until a news article in the Tribune called out the Latin Kings for being involved in a stabbing in 1965 near Gaylord turf.

In summary, the foundation of the Latin Kings has roots going back to at least the late 1950s with the oldest element very likely tracing to the Skulls then the Kings of Spaulding and Ohio.  Below I will break down some of the most popular pieces of the legend of the Latin King foundation and separate verified facts and not verified and perhaps squash some myths.

1. Ramon “King Papo” Santos as the founder – Given that I do not hear much about him from originals and people that knew original Latin Kings and he does not come up in any detailed founding stories from other originals, I have to declare he is only a co-founder and the first Latin King leader from 1964-1971. Many legends say he was the founder, but it is likely many are mistaken because he was the first leader, not first founder.  There is no founder, there was a group of founders.  I also cannot find any evidence or solid stories of him being involved in any pre-Latin King gangs that later absorbed into the Latin Kings nor can I trace him to the Near West Side. The story I was told about the “Imperials” holds no weight and came from one source I thought was credible until recently.  I have found no evidence of a Hispanic gang named the “Imperials” and no originals mention an “Imperials” gang, and no one ties him to anything predating 1964.  If it is true that he was involved in the Skulls or any other pre-Latin King groups no one is talking to me about it, so until someone lets me know details I will go with other more pronounced facts and consider him not the sole founder and not part of pre-Latin King activities prior to May 15, 1964.
2. Latin King original motherland as New York City – I found almost zero evidence to support this claim. The only way I could see any part of this claim as valid would be that Ramon “King Papo” Santos grew up in New York City as either a NYC Young Lord or a NYC Noble Knight then moved to Chicago and shared NYC area revolutionary ideas with other original Latin Kings that was weaved into the original Latin King concepts.
3. Latin Kings began at 18^th and Wabash – I only see this claim from one source and that is George W. Knox who worked with many police sources and informants.  Police sources tend to deal with snitches and story tellers or guys that tell the story in a strange way.  The only way I can see this as having any validity is that Ramon Santos lived here right before Leavitt and Schiller and that is it, end of story.  18^th and Wabash is in the South Loop and at that time was mostly African American and zero significant Hispanic gangs have ever come out of there.  Most Hispanics would live in that area temporarily back in the old days to work at hotels and restaurants in downtown.  Knox and his sources did interview high ranking legit members in exchange for leniancy with their legal issues but that doesn’t mean these guys did not put forth fabrications or give bare mimimum facts when it came to the history because law enforcement could not verify these stories.  For now, it doesn’t make sense for any part of the Latin King foundation coming from 18th and Wabash or anywhere on 18th street until later in the 60s.

Leavitt and Schiller became the headquarters for all northern Latin Kings and was directly supervised by King Papo and many youths attending Sabin Elementary were joining the Latin Kings as they were sick of being attacked by greasers.  The youths had always looked up to King Papo in the earlier 60s now they could join as Latin Kings by 1964.  Freddy Avilez opened the first West Humboldt Park Latin King section at Kedzie and Ohio. In the mid-1960s all Latin Kings city-wide, north side, south side and west side had to report to Leavitt and Schiller as this was the first Latin King headquarters.  Since King Papo headed Leavitt and Schiller and came to the Boulevards to start that branch, he was often considered the sole founder; however, that is not all the way accurate, but he was indeed a major figure in those days.  Papo was full of charisma and garnered great respect; he would often walk the streets with up to a hundred Latin Kings following him making him a legendary figure.

When the Latin Kings first began in 1964, they hung out regularly at a restaurant called “Mom & Pops” that was right across from Sabin Elementary School near Leavitt and Schiller.  This restaurant had a jukebox.  Very soon after, the Latin Kings opened their very first club house two buildings north of the restaurant in a basement that they called “PETES.”  It was in this very club house where the first Latin King crown was drawn up in the fall of 1965 and where the Latin Queens were founded that year.

In the year 1964, original and older Latin Kings branched out to the East Humboldt Park neighborhood at Maplewood and Wabansia while operating a sandwich, pop, chips and candy shop at the corner of Rockwell and Hirsch right across from Von Humboldt School.  This shop had a club house on the second floor above the shop.   Legend has it that this section of Latin Kings allowed the Maniac Latin Disciples to operate peacefully when they formed in 1966 which would help the Disciples grow and flourish until both organizations went to war in later years.  This was open territory from white gangs as the Jokers were south of Division Street. What upset the Jokers was when Latin Kings were hanging out at Division and California out in front of Moishe Pippick No 2 hot dog and burger shop at 2807 W. Division.  It is possible that one of the oldest Latin Kings Julio “Compa” Munoz founded the East Village chapter at Maplewood and Wabansia but I am not sure, but he was sure the leader of that section by the mid-70s.  This section would close in 1979 after Spanish Cobras and Maniac Latin Disciples took advantage of Compa’s incarceration for murder but they needed to team up to attack these Latin Kings.  The Latin Kings completely left East Humboldt Park by 1979.

Another original branch out was in East Village at the intersection of Noble and Cortez which was started by a Leavitt and Schiller Latin King named Michael Perez.  Harrison Gents moved to East Village the same year and an instant rivalry developed over Ashland Street.  The Playboys were not far away and clashed with these Latin Kings as well.  Noble and Cortez Latin Kings battled Gaylords fiercely as well.  Michael was used to fighting Playboys because Playboys were one of the biggest rivals of Leavitt and Schiller Latin Kings.  In 1965 the Noble and Cortez corner was given to the younger members and the seniors opened Ashland and Cortez.  This section lasted until 1971 when all East Village Ashland and Cortez Latin Kings moved to Crystal and Damen in Wicker Park.  Ashland and Cortez may have been short lived, but it was legendary and the Latin Kings there were down members.

In the mid-1960s the Latin Kings still held a chapter in the Near West Side community in the Newberry Street area.  Newberry and Roosevelt closed in 1965 when the new UIC campus was built right at that intersection; therefore, Kings from Newberry moved south on Newberry or north up Newberry by Taylor Street.

In the year 1964, the Latin Kings bopped heads with one of their future biggest allies the Young Lords and war ensued that lasted two years until the Young Lords became passive activists and were no longer interested in neighborhood control.  That two-year war came to an end on June 12, 1966 when the Division street riots were happening.  A Puerto Rican man was gunned down unjustly by Chicago Police so Young Lords and Latin Kings stormed the streets rioting against the police over human rights. King Papo, Eddie LB, Bronco and King Tiger along with the Young Lords drew an alliance on this day and from there on became allies once again.  It was this very day on June 12, 1966, that the Latin Kings first made the news all over the United States and perhaps globally.  This enhanced recruitment and also public awareness and of course law enforcement became more aware of the Latin Kings.

From the beginning when Latin Kings started in 1964, they had a grand vision to protect their communities; however, they were met with resistance from other Hispanic groups.  Latin Kings gave chances to these groups to join their ranks or to at least agree to following certain basic rules of conduct in the communities.  The nature of many gangbangers is to simply not follow authority and to be rebellious, so most clubs rejected the Latin Kings and defied them.  Latin Kings wanted these clubs to conform because many of these other clubs were disorganized, drug addicted, hung with undesirables, were bullies or were disrespectful to their communities or they were downright weak groups that would not be productive enough to protect their communities.  The Latin Kings aimed to clean up much of this disorganization and asked nicely at first, but they were often spit in the face over it and this brought about the 1966 conquest of the West Town and Humboldt Park areas to clean up undesirables that began momentum after the Division riots because it was time to fight back against a corrupt system and resistance from thug type of groups would no longer be tolerated.

One of the first gangs the Latin Kings took apart was the Scorpions (not Latin Scorpions) of Wicker Park from Western and Hirsch. This group was led and founded by Sleepy who was killed by Latin Kings in 1965 forcing the group to disband, in 1966 this group was finished off.

In 1966 the Latin Kings dismantled the Latin Angels from Maplewood and Division in East Humboldt Park.

In 1966 even though the Latin Kings were on good terms with the Paragons from Lincoln Park they became upset with the arrival of the Junior Paragons in East Humboldt Park at Washtenaw and Potomac; therefore, the Latin Kings destroyed them.

In 1966 the Latin Kings also conquered the Young Sinners.  One of the Sinner’s leaders named Charlie came to Pete’s clubhouse and challenged the Latin Kings all by himself.  Although this move was gutsy it proved to be dangerous and costly.  Charlie was beaten so severely he was hospitalized for two months.  The founder Nelson F also known as Tarzan then disbanded the club.

In 1966 the Latin Kings advanced on the Hirsch Street Lords of West Humboldt Park at Spaulding and Hirsch and did damage to their club.  This gave the Latin Kings leverage to advance up Kedzie to Kedzie and Division as they were able to leave Ohio and Kedzie behind.  This was a pivotal territorial grab that would advance the Latin Kings toward Beach and Spaulding.

In 1966, a gang called the Noble Knights (not related to Cicero Noble Knights) ruled Division and Kedzie in West Humboldt Park.  During that year Freddy Avilez took the Latin Kings up Kedzie to meet with the Noble Knights and the Noble Knights flipped to Latin Kings in 1966 and this is how Latin Kings got their beginning toward Beach and Spaulding.  An old legend states the Latin Kings were born out of the Noble Knights, well, in reality, they simply flipped Noble Knights to Latin Kings which was the key event that started Beach and Spaulding.

In the aftermath of the 1966 conquests the Latin Kings were now able to solidify territory in northern West Humboldt Park. This was also made possible because after the Division Street riots the mostly white community in West Humboldt Park north of Chicago Avenue up to North Ave and from the park to around Central Park Ave panicked in white flight fashion as the white residents left in heavy volume right after the riots.  The riots scared them and greedy real estate fed that fear and encouraged them to leave for the sake of profit.  For the rest of 1966 the Latin Kings were moving off of Kedzie and Ohio and making themselves at home at Kedzie and Division until they branched out all of this part of West Humboldt Park.  In the year 1967, Beach and Spaulding was officially declared the new Humboldt Park Latin King’s center of activity and any Humboldt Park governance took place here.  Many say Humboldt Park is the motherland of Latin Kings but more particularly Beach and Spaulding; however, that legend is both correct and incorrect.  Spaulding-Kedzie and Ohio predates Beach and Spaulding as does Leavitt and Schiller.  The statement of Beach and Spaulding as the motherland is not correct but Humboldt Park as a whole as the motherland is correct because that is where the “Kings” name was born and even the “Latin Kings” was even used by the Kings of Ohio Street.  They repped “King Love” and tagged “LK” before West Town even started and before the Skulls arrived; therefore, that part of the legend is correct.

Batman was running Beach and Spaulding when it first opened.  Now all Latin King sections city-wide needed to report to this new section even though Leavitt and Schiller was the headquarters.  Beach and Spaulding became to most legendary north side section in the city with some of the heaviest hitters in the nation.

Latin King expansion outside of the Humboldt Park/West Town area didn’t begin until after the Division Street riots because once the momentum was gained after the riots the Kings now could advance outside of the community and their first prospect was the Little Village community.  The way it was told to me was it was in the summer of ’66 when Ramon Santos himself showed up one day in Little Village to meet with the MarKings and other groups of mostly Hispanic youths from the Supreme Cliques, 23^rd Street Boys and 26^th Street Jokers.  The Latin Kings came down to 24^th and Marshall Boulevard to address issues these youths were having regarding racial issues, issues with police and hostile gangs.  By this time the Gay Lords had left the area and the Outlaws were just a older adult biker club so there were no main rivals; however, Hispanic gangs from outside the neighborhood were beginning to move in like Satan Disciples, Morgan Deuces, Artistics, and Harrison Gents that all posed a threat.  Some of the earliest original big time Latin Kings from 24th and Marshall were Scarface, Dino, Don Juan, Black Sal, White Sal, Crazy Man and Little Boy.  Don Juan was given leadership of the Boulevard Latin Kings.  24^th and Marshall was a prime location for the headquarters because it would allow children to attend Harrison High School and Spry Elementary especially since many kids were bussed in from the Near West Side in various gangs from outside the neighborhood.  Don Juan (DJ) was appointed the first leader of this new chapter.  It is very possible Don Juan was originally part of the Skulls in the 1950s and may have been born in the year 1939 as one of the oldest Latin Kings. I am not positive on how long Don Juan was running this group, but I think it was short lived until Dino took over until 1972.  This section would be nicknamed “The Boulevards” and several later Latin King branches in the city and suburbs can trace their origin to this section.  This section branched out heavily over the years and became the governing location for south side Latin King sections city-wide and heavily represented the Mexican Latin Kings while up north was more for Puerto Ricans.  The Little Village chapter took in many white members and outside of 24^th and Marshall almost half of Latin Kings were white in the 1960s because the community remained majority white into the 1970s.

In the summer of 1966, the Young Lords of Lincoln Park declared their gangbanging days were over with.  Although some pockets of the Young Lords would continue to gangbang the main organization was done with that.  Leader Cha Cha Jimenez became revolutionary and became a political figure instead of gangbanger.  This meant the war with Latin Kings was to stop.  The Young Lords now bonded with Latin Kings and they now understood each other.  The Young Lords now permitted Latin Kings onto their sacred Armitage Avenue as the Latin Kings arrived at Armitage and Dayton without a fight.  Granted, at this point, the Latin Kings could have taken it without Young Lord permission, but blood shed was preferred to be avoided so diplomacy was a better solution. At first, the Latin Kings came to Armitage and Dayton in 1966 under the guidance of King Richie who was related to Ramon Santos.  Richie brought the Latin Kings to Lincoln Park.  Eventually the Latin Kings moved onto Young Lord headquarters at Armitage and Sheffield by 1969 but were invited from the start.  The Latin Kings acted as the muscle for the Young Lords by attending to security duties and assisting the Young Lords with their pursuit of crooked police, slumlords, and unfair neighborhood renewal programs that evicted so many Puerto Rican families out of Lincoln Park.  Latin Kings also would take violent action, if necessary, against unruly gangs in the area that threatened the community, especially racist white gangs because Young Lords wanted to avoid gangbanging. Latin Kings would also ally with the Halsted and Armitage Paragons. The Latin Kings would survive in Lincoln Park until the 1990s when gentrification became large.

In the year 1966, Latin Kings were immediately barred from starting in the Pilsen neighborhood; however, the Kings cliqued up with the Rampants from Pilsen and the Rampants invited the Latin Kings to the Heart of Chicago neighborhood (West Pilsen) that year and the Latin Kings were able to start a new section at Coulter and Damen known as the Coulter Counts.  This section of Latin Kings was founded by Abel “Bull” Torres.  This section was renamed Coulter Kings in 1968 after several Rampants flipped to Latin Kings that year.  This section was a hard-core section that lasted until 1987.  The Coulter Kings did some branching out before they closed this section that included the notorious 51^st and Ada chapter in the Back of the Yards. Although this group not as large as their rivals Ambrose and Latin Counts, they sure were a major force to be reckoned with.

A lessor known group of earlier south side Latin Kings was the 27^th and Normal chapter that was also started in 1966.  These Latin Kings had a club house at 2702 South Normal Street.  The club house was easily identifiable due a spray painted “Latin King” wording on the door. In 1969, this section had heart break after members were convicted in the court case of People vs. Galvan in which those prosecuted may have been innocent of the charges depending upon how the case is looked at.  This was a gang rape case but was heavily disputed in later court proceedings.  These Latin Kings disbanded in 1969 but this would not the be the end of Latin Kings in Bridgeport because a new chapter was started in 1978 at 33^rd and Morgan.  The 33^rd and Morgan Latin Kings would become notorious and strong chapter that still is active today.

The Latin Kings were the first non-African American Chicago gang to reach the suburbs.  This first attempt was made in the suburb of Cicero when a Little Village Latin King nicknamed “Serbian John” made Johnny’s Top Hat night club at 22^nd and Cicero Ave his hangout for him and a group of Latin Kings. Serbian John was a pimp and was rubbing elbows with Italian mafia figures that frequented this night club too. These Latin Kings were Greek which gave them passage into this hardened white community.  Cicero wanted to stay white, and the Latin Kings respected this and bonded with the main gang, the Arch Dukes that were founded the same year of 1966.  The Arch Dukes had deep concerns that Chicago gangs were going to invade Cicero and Ridgeway Lords were attempting this.  Although the Latin Kings had an alliance with Ridgeway Lords, they agreed to not assist them in their Cicero endeavors and agreed to assist keeping other Chicago gangs out and this was agreed upon with the Arch Dukes and the two became allies.  This group of Latin Kings did not make it much past the 1960s and went extinct in the early 70s.  This is a less known group of Latin Kings, and it wasn’t until 1979 that Latin Kings returned to Cicero, but this group was weak especially after their leader Wayne Hastik was murdered by the Ridgeway Lords in his Cicero home in 1979.  This group faded after trying to claim 14^th and 49^th.  The Latin King strength in Cicero arrived in 1982 when the Spanish Harlem Latin Kings out of Little Village settled these streets and by 1984 the Latin Kings became powerful in the suburb and still are powerful today.

Another south side Latin King branch that started in 1966 was the 57th and Halsted branch in the Englewood neighborhood.  This chapter was started when Puerto Rican people began to migrate here in 1966 from other neighborhoods.  The Emerald Knights from Lake View arrived at 55^th and Halsted to join the Village Sharks and this created a need for Latin Kings two blocks away at 57^th.  The Devil’s Disciples, an African American street gang, dominated much of northern Englewood as did the Black P Stones that set up the “Moe Town” chapter in northern Englewood in 1966; therefore, protection was needed from the Latin Kings with this small Puerto Rican enclave.  The Gaylords formed in 1966 at 55^th and Sherman who were another hostile force for these Hispanic youths and this is why Latin Kings were needed here.  This group was mentioned in a 1969 Chicago Tribune newspaper, shortly after this section closed for good in the 1970s after all Puerto Rican people left the area.

In the year 1968 the Latin Kings of West Town and Humboldt Park area began to be featured in the media for their exceptional neighborhood cleanup duties that included cleaning up gang graffiti.  This effort was led by leaders like Don Juan which showed the world the Latin Kings could be an asset to their communities; however, certain branches and members were only concerned with gangbanging, but the founders and leaders were moving on to another level and were trying to help their fellow Latin Kings follow the same path, but with so many members it became impossible.  The Latin Kings continued to make righteous changes and in 1969 they became very much politically active while bringing about diplomacy with other Puerto Rican gangs and white gangs.  This would continue in the earlier 1970s as Latin Kings fought against police brutality, legally pursued crooked landlords, cleaned up communities of trash and graffiti, opened up free lunch programs for impoverished children and fought against unfair neighborhood renewal plans alongside the Young Lords.  These were mostly overlooked functions as most people focused on the gangbanging and negativity.

In 1969, Latin Kings migrated in Logan Square alongside Puerto Rican migration into this community.  Logan Square had a slow white flight pattern through the 1960s and during this process many hardened white greaser gangs walked these streets night and day sometimes preying upon Hispanic youths for fun.  Many Logan Square residents did not want their community to change racially like nearby Wicker Park and Humboldt Park; therefore, this community became more racially guarded as the decade progressed.  By the later 1960s the Simon City gang moved into this neighborhood and by the later 60s they became a hostile force against the Latin Kings.  When the Gaylords began heavily recruiting white gangs around the Palmer Square area and around Lawndale and Altgeld area this became the last draw for Hispanic youths and the call for the Latin Kings came as these desperate youths needed protections against the mighty Gaylords.  This is when Latin Kings arrived in this community in 1969 arriving at North Ave and Kedzie and Armitage and Kedzie to battle the Gaylords and other hostile white gangs.  This gang conflict was heated and brutal, but the Latin Kings would outlast the Gaylords and most other rivals and remain permanently on these streets presently making this another major chapter.

In the year 1969, residents of Uptown began to complain about the sudden rise in crime and the increasingly squalid conditions of these streets.  What was once a hillbilly harmless ghetto now became a nightmare and soon major gang activity would arrive.  Much of the white Appalachian community was upset with increased Hispanic and African American migration that year and the rise in crime and this invited the Gaylords and the formation of the Uptown Rebels.  These groups were often hostile toward the newest Hispanic and African American arrivals.  African American youths invited the Black Gangster Disciples and Conservative Vice Lords to move into the community to protect African American students attending Senn High School, but these gangs were often hostile toward Hispanic and white youths.  This was time for Latin Kings to be called upon to open a chapter at Winthrop and Ainslie.  Many white and Hispanic youths would join the Latin Kings to fight Gaylords, Uptown Rebels, Kenmore Boys, Black Gangster Disciples and Vice Lords.  These Latin Kings found common ground with the Harrison Gents that arrived at the same time just one block away.  The two gangs were very tight until war tore them apart in 1979.  Latin Kings remain in Uptown permanently.

Since their formation in 1964 Latin Kings had always been involved in the drug trade; however, the drug trade did not run their organization just like all other gangs in the 1960s.  Latin Kings also took pride in flushing out unauthorized drug dealers in their communities by robbing those dealers.  King Papo himself used to rob heroin dealers alongside Spanish Lord leader Big Gato in the late 1960s; however, the two men tended to indulge in the heroin they snatched until they both developed addictions.  King Papo soon fell into an addiction entering the 1970s and much of the Latin Kings had also fell into addiction which caused the organization to face possible extinction as the sections became more disorganized.

Activism also took a revolutionary route, especially at Leavitt and Schiller.  It was at this location that Latin Kings were working with the Puerto Rican extremist group FALN and they were hiding them at this location.  Once the authorities came after the FALN, the Latin Kings cut off ties with FALN and had to abandon Leavitt and Schiller, King Papo left that location and most of the main members moved to Beach and Spaulding, the Insane Unknowns now took over Leavitt and Schiller after the big players of the Latin Kings departed in 1971.  Latin Kings would return in 1979 to this intersection.  It was at this point that Beach and Spaulding became the governing section for all north side operations and no longer Leavitt and Schiller.

In June of 1971, Raul Gonzales and another high-ranking north side member of the Latin Kings Gustavo “Hercules” Colon caught court murder charges back to back.

According to court documents, on the night of June 20, 1971 Raul “BK” “Rayo” Gonzales was hanging out at the intersection of 24th and Sacramento in the Marshall Square neighborhood when he spotted Ernesto Villagomez in a car with several other people.  Gonzales then fired bullets into the car and killed the driver causing the car to crash into a building, his intended target survived and only the driver that was shot was killed, the driver was Villagomez’ uncle.  Villagomez had been known to hang out with both Latin Kings and Bishops gang members.  Latin Kings and Bishops were rival gangs at that point in time and BK did not like Ernesto hanging out with Bishops, especially after Ernesto wore a shirt that said “Bishops” on it.  One day outside of Harrison High School BK confronted Villagomez and told him to not wear Bishop clothing, when Ernesto wised off to BK, BK slapped him across the face, Ernesto then threatened revenge on another date, it was at that point that BK marked Villagomez, and on the night of June 20th he killed Villagomez’ uncle as he was driving Ernesto and others home from a dance.  The other car load in front of the uncle’s car was a car full of Bishops gang members and according to court documents those witnesses were affiliated with the Bishops, Gonzales was then charged with murder and sent to prison (People vs. Gonzales, 1974).

According to court documents, on the night of June 27, 1971 Gustavo “Hercules” “Hippie” Colon was hanging out at the intersection of Leavitt and Potomac in the Wicker Park neighborhood that night.  According to court documents Colon and Florentine “Brillo” Menendez spotted Glenn Burr and his sister and friends walking down the street.  Menendez then shouted, “Shoot that black mother fucker!” and pulled a gun on the group of five according to court documents, Glenn Burr then took off running but Colon then shot him three times in the back, killing him.  Colon then walked up to Verlinda Hamilton and put the gun to her head and gave her a big smile then pulled the trigger; however, the gun jammed.  Supposedly the shooting happened because Glenn Burr was a Vice Lord in Latin King territory Colon was not arrested for the crime until August of 1971, Brillo was said to be dead by the time arrests were to be made, Colon was then charged with murder and sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison (People vs. Colon, 1974).

By 1972, the Latin Kings were facing a major crisis.  Starting in the late 1960s some key members were getting into using heavy drugs like Heroin.  There were also many members that were not focused on tasks at hand and much of the LKN was disorganized, which was a major threat to leadership especially since they were trying to organize a sophisticated syndicate.  Amid several gang wars and now with law enforcement breathing down their necks, there was a real threat to the very existence of the Latin King Nation and slip ups by members could not be tolerated anymore; it was time for a constitution to keep the entire organization in line.  Now that Hercules and Rayo were incarcerated for murder, they had an immediate meeting behind prison walls with Manuel Diaz Rodriguez, Johnny Martinez, Eddie, Dino, and Sun Child.  These 7 Latin Kings drew up the “Kings Manifesto” which was literature that was to guide and organize Latin Kings in the right direction in order to ease operations and maintain order.  One of the biggest guidelines was no use of drugs unless it was Marijuana.  This was made possible because prior to this the Latin Kings held a 1972 election to vote on a new leader.  Ramon Santos now had a heroin issue that I believe he got over a short time later but it cost him his leadership role.  Santos would retire from the Latin Kings in 1972 but stuck around the area interacting with many old friends.  Carmelo also stepped down and retired from the nation and when election time came Gustavo “Hercules” Colon was voted to run all northern operations from behind prison walls which he successfully did. “Rayo” ran southwest and south side operations.  Other members were out casted for their behavior and ejected from the organization to be made examples of how this behavior was now not acceptable.  All addicted Latin Kings were ordered to kick their Heroin habits immediately and turn in all bags of their Heroin, if they did not, severe consequences would be suffered.  It did not matter about the withdraw effects; you had to just stop using…no Exceptions!

Now that Rayo had become leader of the south side, he was now referred to the nickname “Baby King” as he was the protégé of the former leader King Papo allegedly.  Gustavo Colon was now referred to as “Lord Gino” now that he was in command of all northern Chicago operations, these two men had just become the King of Kings.

Now at this point in time the Latin King nation was to become even stronger than ever with the Kings Manifesto, and BK and Gino were successfully operating the organization from behind prison walls; however, there were still lots of Latin Kings that supported and looked up to King Papo and many still saw him as the supreme leader of the Latin Kings.  King Papo did indeed officially step down and became retired in 1972 but unofficially he was still a shot caller especially since he was out on the streets while BK and Gino were locked up. This was something rumored to have not settled well with some of incarcerated leadership.  King Papo may have kicked his habit later into the 1970s but never resumed official leadership.

After the creation of the manifesto in 1972 Beach and Spaulding no longer governed all the Latin King branches city-wide, further away branches at last didn’t have to travel all the way to Humboldt Park for meetings.  All south side operations were headed at the Boulevards at 24th and Marshall while the north side still reported to Beach and Spaulding.  Eventually traveling to report ceased and each branch governed more on its own.

In the year 1975, the Latin Kings established themselves in the Julia C. Lathrop Homes.  These projects were located in the North Center neighborhood.  Latin Kings had been living here since Latin Kings were created; however, they didn’t run these projects, their allies the Insane Deuces ran these buildings.  In the year 1975 the Insane Deuces donated ‘The Horseshoe” which is the southern most section of the projects that is along Diversey Parkway and the horseshoe shaped part is from Hoyne to Leavitt.  Latin Kings were very close to the Deuces as they fought Simon City Royals and Paulina Barry Community viciously.  In 1987 Latin Kings and Deuces began to have friction over the crack cocaine trade.  In 1989 war was declared between Deuces and Latin Kings and when the Deuces flipped to becoming Folks in January of 1992 they left the projects and the Latin Kings took over only sharing with some black gangs.

Another big player within the Latin King Nation was a member named Julio “Compa” Munoz who was an original member of the nation.  Compa was born in the year 1936 making him one of the oldest members or perhaps the oldest member of the Latin Kings.  Compa was a big-time member and highly regarded in the nation.

According to court documents, on the night of December 17, 1975 Compa conspired with a prostitute named Deborah Schak and Victor Figueroa and Ralphie Munoz to get a sum of money together to pay for Schak’s methadone treatment because she was a struggling recovering heroin addict and asked the men for help according to court documents.  The four of them then conspired to have Schak lure a client into a trap where she would perform her sexual favors for money then Munoz’ men would rob him.  Schak lived with Munoz at 1737 Maplewood (Maplewood and Bloomingdale in Logan Square) and told Munoz she needed the money and was willing to steal for it according to court documents. Schak then walked to Western Avenue and picked up on three men, two of which took her to one of the men’s residence where she performed sexual favors on them both.  One of the men, Peter Mobiles, wanted to stay with Schak and offered her $100 for a night with her and he flashed a large amount of money according to court documents.  Mobiles and Schak then left to stay at her “sister’s house” at Campbell and Wabansia which was right down the block from where Schak and Munoz realistically resided.  Schak had Mobiles wait outside while she went inside to ask her sister for permission, instead Schak grabbed a knife and Munoz came with her with a gun on him.  Schak asked Mobiles if he could give Munoz a ride to Foster and Sheridan, Mobiles agreed and got in the car while Schak got in the back seat behind him, and Munoz hopped into the passenger seat.  According to court documents Munoz put the gun to Mobiles’ head while Schack wrapped her arm around Mobile’s neck and put her knife to his throat, the two of them then demanded money but Mobiles only gave them $20.  Munoz then ordered Mobiles to take off his clothes and put them right outside the car, Mobiles complied according to court documents.  I am speculating Munoz had Mobiles do this, so they could search his clothes for more money because after this happened Munoz told Schak to step outside, Munoz then ordered Mobiles to lie down on the ground face down, then Munoz shot Mobiles in the back of the head.  The two of them grabbed the clothes then left the scene and fled to their place on Maplewood.  Back at the residence Julio Munoz told Ralphie Munoz that he was not sure if Mobiles was dead and that he accidentally shot Mobiles but also said “it’s probably better that way.”  Schak apparently did not want murder to be involved because she was freaked out and ended up testifying against Munoz which got him put in prison for the murder. (People vs. Munoz, 1979).

This Julio Munoz case did not end with this 1975 murder, when the trails were happening in 1976 one of the men that discussed the robbery before it happened in December of 1975 was Victor Figueroa who had turned state’s witness against Compa in August of 1976.  Because of Figueroa’s testimony the Latin Kings were making death threats against Figueroa forcing him into a witness protection program.  Compa was highly regarded and was a high up member of the organization so tricking on him would come with consequences.  The Latin Kings were now hunting Figueroa down and the hunt ended in 1979.  According to court documents the frozen body of Victor Figueroa was found in a gangway at 1027 N. Francisco Street (East Humboldt Park) on February 23, 1979 with three bullet wounds in his chest and his penis was severed and shoved into his mouth.  Anthony Perez was later arrested and charged with the murder.  According to court documents Perez initially denied killing Figueroa but then later confessed to killing him and said he did it with another Latin King named “Black Jack,” but Black Jack’s real identity was never revealed in the court documents.  Perez said he killed Figueroa in revenge for Figueroa testifying against Julio Compa Munoz.  On the night of the murder Figueroa went into a bar at 1100 North California Ave (California and Thomas in East Humboldt Park) to look into buying drugs, at the bar Perez and Black Jack recognized Figueroa and approached him offering to get him the drugs as long as Figueroa came with them.  The two men lured Figueroa to the alleyway at 1027 N. Francisco Street then Black Jack acted like he fell on the ice and pulled down Figueroa with him, then Perez pulled out the .38 revolver and pointed it at Figueroa and said “your days are over,” then fired all six bullets striking him only twice in the chest.  Black Jack then reloaded the revolver for Perez and told him to shoot Figueroa in the heart, Perez then shot Figueroa right in the heart which was the cause of death according to the court documents.  Perez was later arrested and charged with murder, in the court documents Perez denied cutting off Figueroa’s penis and feeding it to him, and the documents do not detail that part at all (People vs. Perez, 1983).  The penis was likely removed by one of the two men to symbolize what happens when you run your mouth and testify, hence, why the penis was placed in the man’s mouth, the message was clearly sent, and it also showed the influence that Compa had, being an original member and perhaps the oldest member.  Compa would remain in prison until 2012 where he died behind bars.  Compa was also one of the bigger time leaders if not the very leader of the East Humboldt Park Latin Kings which was a section that closed right after Compa’s incarceration in 1979.

As the 1970s progressed the Latin Kings only got bigger There were white and black members as early as the 1960s but by the 1970s there were several black and white members depending on the neighborhood.  The Latin Kings also had small sleeper cells of members living in the suburbs as early as the early 1970s, then by the mid-1970s there began some recruitment in the suburbs like, Melrose Park and Maywood as examples.

In the year 1975 Latin Kings settled in the Rogers Park community on the far north side of the city.  This is when Columbia and Ashland opened up a section called “Bad Boys.”  These Latin Kings were know for fighting other Latin King sections.   This group also fought the Gangster Disciples fiercely from Sullivan and Kilmer.  This section was strong in the 1980s and 1990s.

Also in 1975 the Latin Kings would settle on the streets of Albany Park at Lawrence and Kedzie, thus colonizing a new neighborhood and this new chapter would become one of the Latin King’s bigger sections in the city.  In Albany Park Latin Kings arrived to aid Hispanic youths to fight against Gaylords and Simon City Royals.

The importance of the Maywood Latin Kings

The year was 1976, and most of the Chicago area suburbs were quiet and a place to escape from the bustling city.  In the western suburbs there was no signs of Chicago based gang activity stretching from Berkeley, to Maywood to Bellwood to Elmhurst to Melrose Park to Villa Park.  All was quite until Mexican families came to move into the suburb of Maywood and start a better new life for themselves and their children.  Maywood was a frustrated mostly white community that suddenly suffered high unemployment after their can factory closed down.  People took their frustrations out on the newly arrived Hispanic and black residents moving in.  Hispanic people were settling around the intersection of 5th Avenue and Lake Street and some were trying to open businesses and running into difficulties and unfair treatment from the rest of the community.  The first Latin King to move to Maywood was “Nat” from 23rd and Christiana.  Nat recruited his cousin “PeeWee” then soon a domino effect happened of several of their friends joining the Latin Kings.  These young suburban Latin Kings made 5th Avenue and Maywood their stronghold and the headquarters.  This section became very tightly ran and well organized and become the very first permenant Latin King suburban branch on the entire planet.  These Latin Kings were serious and put in lots of work for the organization.  Within a very short time they expanded into nearby Melrose Park and Stone Park to help with Hispanic families facing unfair treatment.  By the later 1970s and early 1980s these Latin Kings began to engage is vicious gang wars with rival gangs moving in from the city bringing negative attention to their original cause which was to help the community.  Over time, the Maywood branch would spread out further influencing several more south suburbs and west suburbs that reached all the way as far north west Indiana.  By the later 1980s and early 1990s Latin Kings were in just about every suburb connected near the southern side of the city and they all stemmed from the old Maywood chapter.

In 1977, the Latin Kings made the news again when another Division street riot kicked off on June 4th 1977.  Once again Chicago Police gunned down two Puerto Rican youths and once again the community was infuriated.  Looting, vandalism and violence ensued and the Latin Kings were a major part of the riot and so were the Spanish Cobras.  Once Cobras and Kings saw each other they started fighting viciously and leaving a big path of destruction in their wake.

In the year 1977, gang wars were worsening in the Little Village area as now the Two Six gang started to grow aggressively and the Satan Disciples became increasingly interested in taking territory west of Marshall Boulevard/California.  This led to a major standoff with guns blazing along Marshall Boulevard one day when about 15-20 members of the Latin Kings went up against 15-20 members of the Satan Disciples shooting several guns at each other.  One of the Latin King shooters was a Latin Queen known as Josie “La China (pronounced Cheena)” Contreras.  La China was perhaps one of the toughest Latin Queens from the Boulevards and she stood alongside her Latin King brothers shooting at the SDs.  China was even known for winning a one on one fight against a larger sized Satan Disciple at one point.

A big turn happened for the Latin Kings in 1978.  The Latin Kings had a very strong branch operating on the corner of North Ave and Kedzie in West Humboldt Park.  Right around the corner at 1551 North Kedzie Ave is the Illinois National Guard armory.  The Latin Kings of North and Kedzie pulled off a major heist on a military vehicle right near the armory and stole thousands of dollars worth of high powered weapons by ambushing a military vehicle as it left the armory, they then helped themselves to all the crates in the vehicle while they held the personnel at gun point.  This made the Latin Kings one heavily armed organization for the rest of their existence even up to present day and of course this will enhance recruitment due to being heavily armed.

In April, 1978 the Folk Nation alliance was formed in the prison system which included such gangs as Black Gangsters Disciples, Black Disciples, Ambrose, Satan Disciples, Latin Disciples (Maniac Latin Disciples), Two Six Boys (Gangster Two Six), Spanish Cobras, Simon City Royals, Almighty Insane Royal Popes, Imperial Gangsters, Latin Eagles, Orquestra Albany and Ashland Vikings.  This was a prison alliance mainly orchestrated by Larry Hoover.  This spelled bad news for the Latin Kings and any other gang that was not aligned with this new Folk Nation.  It turned out the Latin Kings’ worst enemies had joined this alliance in the same meeting, the Latin Kings along with the Vice Lords and El Rukns created the People Nation alliance.  They then extended the invite the Mickey Cobras, Latin Counts, Bishops, Spanish Lords, P.R. Stones and Insane Unknowns.  The El Rukns and Vice Lords represented the Islam side of the People Nation, while the Latin Kings were represented the Christian side of the People Nation.  This was all made possible because the Latin Kings, Black P. Stones, and Vice Lords had been allies ever since the early 1960s (with only scuffles here and there in certain parts of the city) when they all found a common enemy, the Devil’s Disciples.

In the year 1979 the Latin Kings wanted Leavitt and Schiller back but the Insane Unknowns now ran that area.  A negotiation was made and the Latin Kings were able to move back in as allies with Insane Unknowns. The Unknowns lasted until 1993 here but Latin Kings remained at Leavitt and Schiller until the mid-2010s.

In the year 1972 Latin Kings began to reside in the Back of the Yards community around 51st and Ada.  Throughout the 70s the Latin Kings living here conflicted heavily with Latin Souls and Saints but no official section was established until the year 1980 when Mexican migration increased in the area and when rival gangs like Two Six, Satan Disciples and Two Two Boys colonized the area.  This new section became the legendary 51st and Ada branch and it was started by “Diaper Dead Eye” in 1980.  he led this section until he was incarcerated for killing a La Raza.

A story I want to bring back from the Chicagogangs.org site is the meatloaf story.  This is a story that goes to show the lengths this Latin Kings will go to, to make something happen.  The story comes from the NGCRC in collaboration with federal authorities over their witnesses.  This full story can be found here https://ngcrc.com/ngcrc/page15.htm written by George W. Knox who works for the NGCRC.  He tells a tale of a high-ranking Latin King that turned informant and was put in witness protection program according to Knox.  Inmate Carlos Robles of the north side Latin kings was classified as an “escapee” just two days before his release from prison and the case ran cold until 1992 when the informant told authorities about Robles and then in 1995 a skull was dug up in the Statesville Prison yard as evidence but still no one was pursued for prosecution and perhaps never will be.

In the year 1979, as gang activity was heating up in the South Chicago neighborhood the Latin Kings moved just north of the South Chicago border onto the intersection of 79th and Clarendon but they dwelled on the South Shore community side of 79th up to 78th.  This was a group of about 10 Latin Kings.  This branch did not last long before the founder were sent to prison until 1981.  In 1981, Ray of this 79th Street branch moved to the Bush which was a few block south into the South Chicago neighborhood as him and other started the notorious South Chicago Latin Kings.  This branch would move to 89th and Muskegon in 1981 and would explode in size to become a permanent fixture in the South Chicago neighborhood.

In 1981, Raul Rayo Gonzales had a conflict with a north side Latin King Carlos Robles.  Robles disrespected Gonzales and had no issue with it because Rayo was running the south side while Robles was under north side and felt Rayo couldn’t touch him.  The only obstacle Rayo had to overcome was to get the nod from Lord Gino and state his case, Gino sided with Rayo and authorized Rayo to do whatever was needed to make an example out of Robles.  Rayo then would then patiently wait two years.

In July 1983, Robles’ parole had come up and he was just two days away from getting out and he didn’t suspect any trouble was coming.  Rayo consulted two of the craziest south side Latin Kings he could find in Statesville.  One was a cold-blooded killer from Cuba that was known to kill without any remorse.  Another was a short white member of the Latin Kings, both men were avid PCP users which already would make them extra crazy and creative.  The two men approached Robles and told him they were throwing him a “parole party” in the basement.  The men got permission from the guards to use the basement where the showers were and Robles thought he was being led downstairs to a whole celebration but once he was guided by the two men there was no one down there, before Carlos could realize anything the two men pulled out large machetes from somewhere and chopped his head clean off.  The two men then hacked his arms and legs off then chopped his limbs and torso into pieces making a big mess of blood everywhere, but all they had to do was turn on the showers and let it all go down the drain, then men also washed off the body parts.

The two inmates then coordinated a staged fight coordinated by fellow Latin Kings to create a diversion while both men slipped through a tunnel that led to the butcher shop where the men ran into a rival Black Gangster Disciple gang member working the shop.  Although BGDs (GDs) and Latin Kings are enemies the two men offered money and drugs in exchange for this BGD to help dispose of the body parts that were wrapped in plastic bags.  The BGD accepted the offer and began feeding body parts into a large meat grinder with pork and beef.  It was a perfect night to do this because meatloaf was on the menu.  The three men grinded up the whole body into meat accept the skull which according to Knox “rolled around in the meat grinder like a basketball spinning on a metal rim.”  The skull had to be taken with the two and was later buried discreetly in the yard.

Later that night the BGDs and Latin Kings were not eating the meat loaf and giving their portions to other inmates which made them seem generous.  The other inmates dined on the meat happily not knowing they were all eating parts of Carlos.  Only the BGDs and Latin Kings knew what was in the moat loaf and not a single inmate from either gang ate the meat that night and perhaps snickered as the others chowed down.  No one was ever prosecuted for this and ironically one of the men went to possibly work as a chef at a government center in the cafeteria after his release according to Knox. Source from (https://ngcrc.com/profile/profile.html).

The Latin Kings kept their ties pretty tight with their People Nation allies that intensified on the streets in the early 1980s.  By 1981, a new directive was handed down from behind prison walls to expand the People Nation on the streets and offer new gang membership. The Latin Kings then recruited more gangs to join the People alliance and that is when they reeled in gangs like the Gaylords, Insane Deuces, Villa Lobos and Cullerton Deuces.  This was also the point in time when there were Latin Kings in every white or Hispanic neighborhood in the city.  The Kings were now putting in more sleeper cells out in the suburbs and were beginning to bust out in some suburbs like Rockford, Cicero, Berwyn  and Joliet.

By the mid-1980s the Latin Kings were spreading into more suburbs and the sleeper cells were opening up and taking in suburban kids interested in gangbanging.  By the late 1980s the Latin Kings were now in the majority of Du Page County, Will County, Lake County and Kane County suburbs and all of Cook County.  In Will County they started recruiting out of early 80s sleeper cells in Romeoville and Bolingbrook. In Dupage County they opened sets in suburbs like Addison, Schaumberg, Downers Grove and Westmont.

The Latin Kings were aggressively expanding their empire and were looking for more angles to expand the Cocaine, Marijuana, and Heroin pipelines by putting soldiers in the burbs.  They also grew into other states and even small towns in rural Illinois.  As the Latin Kings continued to grow by the late 1980s tensions with other gangs heated up and more violence ensued.  The Latin Kings wanted to flex their muscle and show their dominance in the streets by displaying several acts of violence; this would eventually bring about early tensions with fellow gangs within the People Nation alliance.  Sometimes scuffles would break out or there were cold feelings among allies.  This was seen as necessary because Latin Kings had to look out for each other more so than any other group out there and members needed to make a living on the streets without interference, however, interalliance wars were often smoothed over after short periods of time in the late 80s.  Latin Kings would learn to perceive possible threats from other organizations quickly and be fast to be on the offensive before anything got more out of hand.

In the summer of 1988 King Papo, the man that united all the gangs together, that created the Latin King Nation in 1964 had suddenly disappeared.  Rumors flew around that this was an internal hit on his life but there is no confirmation of that, other rumors said that Papo fled the country but once again there was no evidence and no body was ever found.  The fact is Papo may not have vanish or got killed, instead he may have kept a lower profile than ever.  Right after Papo’s disappearance from the streets, the Latin Kings were left 100% in command to the incarcerated BK and Lord Gino who were still serving sentences for murders since 1972.  They now ran the organization from behind bars and took the Latin Kings in a direction that would bring about higher profits and more dominance on the streets and that is the point in time where they started having minor conflicts with fellow People Nation gangs.

In the year 1988, Latin Kings moved to the Gage Park community to address issues newly arrived Hispanic youths were having moving into a white neighborhood.  Gage Park was not welcoming of Hispanic people and racial tensions ensued.  Latin Kings settled differences with a white group called the South Side Heads and flipped many of their members into the Latin Kings.  This new Gage Park branch grew exponentially and became the notorious Crown Town Latin Kings we know today.

In 1991, the Latin Kings developed an “anybody killer” or “almighty don’t like nobody” policy where they declared war on several other People Nation gangs or pushed several others to start a war with them.  Some notable allies they begin war with around 1991 were Latin Counts, Bishops, Cullerton Deuces, Some Vice Lord sections, and Insane Deuces.  The rival Folks alliance also began engaging in several interralliance wars that year; therefore, the Kings did not really need their allies as much anyway. The Latin Kings were so large at this point that it became too difficult to control the dominance many Latin King sections felt on the streets and to pacify brewing conflicts with allies; not only that by the early 90s as drugs became a hotter commodity for gangs to deal in general other gangs wanted a bigger chunk of the profits in the streets and demanded the Latin Kings back away from certain zones that were designated for Latin Kings, in many of these cases Latin Kings would refuse to negotiate and conflict would ensue.

By the early 1990s Latin Kings could be found in every suburban town in Chicago land whether there was an active section or not.  The LKN had spread to all 50 states and even other countries as well, especially Mexico.  New York City developed a very large faction of Latin Kings in the 1980s.  I am not going into details about the NYC Kings because this is a Chicago and Chicago area gang history site; I do not have much to do with gang histories in other states.

By 1995, BK was released from prison and running things on the street especially all down the 26th street corridor.  By 1997, Lord Gino was 1 day from getting out until he was brought up on RICO charges and now is spending the rest of his life in federal prison.  In 1999 BK was incarcerated again on felony drug charges and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Although the Latin Kings have been involved in highly sophisticated drug related and violent activities this has still been an organization that was created for maintaining a strong brotherhood among members.  There is a deep history here that is to be respected and many have given their lives for the cause or have given up their freedom.  One of the main reasons the Latin Kings have grown to be the largest Hispanic organization in Chicago area and one of the largest worldwide is because of the deep sense on brotherhood that was first developed in the old days and showing supreme dominance on the streets.

Known sections of Latin Kings past and present:

Albany Park neighborhood Established 1975-present years

Sections of Albany Park

Lawrence & Kedzie (LKst, Homicide LKst) Established 1975-present years

Pulaski & Argyle

Argyle to Lawrence, Kedzie to Sacramento

Argyle & Spaulding

Keystone & Cullom

Austin neighborhood

Sections of Austin

Roosevelt & Menard (The Island)

Avondale neighborhood 1990s-present years

Sections of Avondale

Belmont & Central Park Ave 2000s-present years

Drake & School 90s-present years

Belmont & Sacramento

George to Diversey, Francisco to Mozart

Back of the Yards neighborhood Established 1980-present years

Sections of the Back of the Yards

51^st & Ada settled 1972, official in 1980

52^nd & Marshfield

Belmont-Cragin neighborhood 90s-present

Sections of Belmont-Cragin

Diversey & Major 90s, 2000s

Wellington & Lockwood 2010s-present

George Keating 90s

Bridgeport neighborhood Established 1966-1969, re-established 1978-present years

Sections of Bridgeport

28^th & Normal Established 1966-1969

33^rd & Morgan (Morgan Latin Kings) Established 1978-present years

35^th & Halsted

Archer to 29^th, Throop to Poplar

33^rd to 36^th, Morgan to Halsted Established 1978-present years

Bucktown (Logan Square) neighborhood 90s, 2000s

Sections of Bucktown

Cortland & Damen to Hoyne 90s, 2000s

Canaryville neighborhood 90s, 2000s, 2010s

Sections of Canaryville

Emerald from 47^th to 49th 90s, 2000s, 2010s

East Humboldt Park neighborhood Established 1964-1979

Sections of East Humboldt Park

Maplewood & Wabansia (1964-1979)

East Side neighborhood Established 1983-present years

Section of East Side

96^th & Avenue M (No Limit Latin Kings)

97^th & Ewing

96^th to 101^st, Ewing to Ave N

103^rd to 108^th, Ave L to Ave H (East Side Latin Kings)

98th & Avenue L (98 Outlaws)

99th & Ewing (99 Ruthless)

104th & Avenue L (Murda Ave)

East Village (West Town) neighborhood Established 1964-2010s

Sections of East Village

Noble & Cortez Established 1964-1971

Ashland & Cortez Established 1965-1971

Division & Wolcott Established 1971-2010s

Thomas & Winchester 90s, 2000s

Edgewater neighborhood Established 1974-present years

Sections of Edgewater

Clark & Balmoral

Clark & Catalpa (Crack and Crime) 90s-present years

Clark & Bryn Mawr 2000s-present years

Ridge to Thorndale, Ravenswood to Hermitage

Farragut & Glenwood 90s-2000s

Berwyn & Winthrop 70s-present years

Englewood neighborhood Established 1966-1972

Sections of Englewood

57^th & Halsted Established 1966-1972

Gage Park neighborhood (Crown Town) Established 1988-present years

51^st & Campbell

51^st & Homan (51 HLKs)

52^nd & Talman

53^rd & Albany

56^th & Sacramento

58^th & Harlem (5-8 Homicide)

51^st to 58^th, California to Pulaski

51^st to 52^nd, St. Louis to Kedzie (5-1 Crown Town)

53^rd to 57^th, Kedzie to Richmond (Crown Town)

52^nd to 54^th, Fairfield to Rockwell (Crown Town)

50^th to 55^th, California to Western (Crown Town)

58^th to 59^th, Kedzie to Whipple

49^th & Artesian

53^rd & Mozart

54^th & Christiana

Garfield Ridge neighborhood 80s-present years

Sections of Garfield Ridge

49^th & Lotus (Midway Latin Kings) 80s, 2000s-present years

51^st & Lotus 90s-present

47^th & Lockwood 2000s-present

47^th to 49^th, LaPorte to Cicero Ave 2010s-present years

49^th & Lawler 2000s-present years

Heart of Chicago neighborhood Established 1966-1987

Sections of Pilsen

Coulter & Damen (Coulter Kings) Established 1966-1987

Hermosa neighborhood

Sections of Hermosa

Wellington & Kilpatrick

Irving Park neighborhood

Sections of Irving Park

Montrose to Bertau, Pulaski to Avers

Lakeview neighborhood 90s

Sections of Lakeview

Roscoe & Halsted 90s

Lincoln Park neighborhood Established 1966-2010s

Sections of Lincoln Park

Armitage & Sheffield

Armitage & Dayton Established 1966

Clybourn/Damen to Leavitt/Hoyne (Lathrop projects) Established 1975-2010s

Lincoln Square neighborhood 1975-present years

Sections of Lincoln Square

Leland & Rockwell

Leland & Virginia 70s-present years

Montrose from Damen to Ashland (Mackville) 90s-present years

Paulina & Cullom

Argyle & Washtenaw

Montrose & Paulina

Wilson & Wolcott

Little Village (Lower West Side) neighborhood Established 1962 as Marshall Kings, 1966-present as Latin Kings

Sections of Little Village

23^rd & Spaulding

23^rd & Whipple

24^th & Christiana

24^th & Drake (Chi Town Two Four)

24^th & Marshall (The Boulevards) Established 1962 as Marshall Kings, 1966 as Latin Kings

Millard from 24^th to 27th

24^th & Sawyer

St. Louis from 24^th to 25th (Coulter Side, Coulter Latin Kings)

Trumbull from 24^th to 25th (Two Four Trumbull)

25^th & Avers

25^th & California (Lawndale projects) Established circa 1985 after Latin Counts left

25^th & Coulter (Coulter Latin Kings)

25^th & Spaulding (Spanish Harlem)

Drake from 25^th to 27th

27^th & Homan

Lawndale from 25^th to 28th (Lawndale Latin Kings)

30^th & Sawyer (Redrum City)

30^th & Trumbull

31^st & Drake (Drake Side)

30^th to 31^st, Kedzie to Sacramento (Redrum City)

24^th to 26^th, Kedzie to Christiana (Spanish Harlem)

21st to 31st, Lawndale to California (Chi Town)

26^th to 25^th, Hamlin to Central Park (Lawndale Latin Kings)

Logan Square neighborhood Established 1969-present years

Sections of Logan Square

Armitage & Kedzie to Whipple

Sawyer from North Ave to Cortland

Armitage & California

Cortland & Whipple

California & McClean

Armitage to Cortland, Kedzie to Humboldt

Shakespeare to North Ave, St. Louis to Kedzie (Nano World) Partially in West Humboldt Park

Point & California

Marshall Square (South Lawndale) neighborhood Established 1985-present years

Sections of Marshall Square

21^st & California (Cal Two One) Established 1996 took over former Stone Kent turf

21^st to Cermak, Marshall to Fairfield (Cal Two One) Established 1996 taken over former Stone Kent turf

Cermak to 25^th, Albany to California

25^th to 26^th, California to Washtenaw (Lawndale Gardens projects) Established 1985-90s

Marquette Park (Chicago Lawn) neighborhood

Sections of Marquette Park

71^st & Spaulding

71^st & Avers

Near West Side neighborhood Established as as the Skulls 1950s-1970s

Sections of the Near West Side

Madison to Van Buren, Laflin to Paulina Established 1950s-1963

Newberry & Roosevelt Established 1962-1970s

North Center neighborhood

sections of North Center

Berwyn & Hoyne (Area 51)

Berwyn & Wolcott

Roscoe & Hoyne

Diversey Parkway & Hoyne and Leavitt (Lathrop Projects, Project Kings) Established 1975-2011

North Lawndale neighborhood

Sections of North Lawndale

21^st & Albany

Portage Park neighborhood 80s, 90s, 2000s

School & Lavergne 80s, 90s, 2000s

Pullman neighborhood Established 1981-present years

Sections of Pullman

113^th & Langley (Pullman Latin Kings, Langley Park) Established 1981-present years

115^th & Champlain (Roseland Latin Kings) Established 1981-present years

Rogers Park neighborhood Established 1975-present years

Sections of Rogers Park

Columbia & Ashland (Bad Boys) Established 1975-present years

Rodgers to Toughy, Ridge to Clark (Pottawamie Park) Established 1975-present years

Devon & Clark

South Chicago neighborhood Established 1981-present years

Sections of South Chicago

82^nd & Houston

Buffalo from 83^rd to 84th (Bush Latin Kings)

84^th & Burley (Bush Latin Kings)

88^th & Exchange (88 D-Hate)

89^th & Commercial

89^th & Muskegon Established 1981

Escanaba from 89^th to 90^th (89 Big Time)

83^rd to 86^th, South Shore Dr to Green Bay (Bush Latin Kings)

South Shore neigbhorhood Established 1979-1980

Sections of South Shore

79th & Clarendon

Southern West Town neighborhood 1994-present years

Sections of southern West Town

Huron & Hoyne (Heaven and Hell)

Uptown neighborhood Established 1969-present years

Sections of Uptown

Foster to Lawrence, Ashland to Winthrop Established 1969-present years

Montrose & Hazel 70s-present years

Agitate & Hazel

Berwyn to Argyle, Broadway to Sheridan (The Uptown Triangle)

Lawrence to Sunnyside, Paulina to Clark (Chase Park) 1996-present years

West Elsdon neighborhood Established 1990-present years

Sections of West Elsdon

55^th to 59^th, Pulaski to Central Park Established 1990-present years

West Humboldt Park neighborhood Established as Ohio and Spaulding Kings 1960-present years

Sections of West Humboldt Park

Kedzie & Ohio 1960-1964 as Ohio and Spaulding Kings, 1964-1967 as Latin Kings

Shakespeare to North Ave, St. Louis to Kedzie (Nano World) Partially in Logan Square

Bloomingdale to Wabansia, Albany to Humboldt (Wild West)

North Ave to Grand, Kedzie to Central Park Ave (Motherland)

Bloomingdale to North Ave, Central Park to St. Louis

Hirsch & Kostner

West Ridge neighborhood Established 1979-present years

Sections of West Ridge

Rosemont & Claremont

Rosemont & Richmond

Peterson from Fairfield to California

Touhy to Lunt, Rockwell to Western (Indian Boundary Park)

Morse to Pratt, Bell to Ridge

Rosemont to Granville, Campbell to Western (Assyrian Latin Kings)

Wicker Park (West Town) neighborhood Established 1964-1971, return 1979-present years

Sections of Wicker Park

Leavitt & Schiller Established 1964-1971, return 1979-2000s

Damen & Crystal Established 1993-present years

Milwaukee & Honore Established 1979-1993

North Ave to Schiller, Bell to Leavitt Established 1979-mid-2010s

Suburb sections

Addison, IL Established 1980

Argo, IL Established 1979

Aurora Established 1980

Bedford Park, IL

Bensenville, IL Established 1980

Berwyn, IL Established 1980

Bloomington, IL Established 1980

Blue Island, IL Established 1980

Bolingbrook, IL Established 1980

Bradley, IL

Bridgeview, IL

Calumet City, IL

Carpentersville, IL Established 1980

Chicago Heights, IL

Cicero, IL Established 1966-present years 14^th & 51st (The Ghetto), Cermak & 57th

Crest Hill, IL

Des Plains, IL

Dolton, IL

Downers Grove, IL

East Moline, IL

Elgin, IL Established 1980

Evanston, IL

Glendale Heights, IL

Glenview, IL

Hanover Park, IL

Hodgkins, IL

Hoffman Estates, IL

Joliet, IL Established 1980

Kankakee, IL

Maywood, IL Established 1976- First permanent suburb

Mount Prospect, IL

Naperville, IL

Palatine, IL

Plainfield, IL

Rockford, IL

Rochelle, IL

Rolling Meadows, IL

Romeoville, IL Established 1980

Round Lake Beach, IL

Stone Park, IL

Summit Established 1979 61^st & Archer, Harlem from 61^st to 62^nd (Harlem Homicide)

Waukegan, IL

Please send in old school pics from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.   1950s or 1960s pics will be especially appreciated!

Questions:

Who founded the Skulls?  What year were they started and at what intersection?

Please help out with any stories of King Papo and his original group, it will be greatly appreciated.