Arch Dukes - Chicago Gang History

Founded	Founded in 1966 by Danny C
Affiliations	Give details
Colors	Black and Grey
Primary ethnicities	White
Symbols	knight helmet and Shield
Status	Extinct

The Arch Dukes were a mostly Italian gang born out of the Chicago land suburb of Cicero, Illinois in the Grant Works section of Cicero which was the oldest greaser neighborhood in Cicero. The Arch Dukes started in about the year 1966 in order to combat roaming gangs like the Ridgeway Lords from nearby Little Village in Chicago. The Arch Dukes were founded by 15-year-old George who recently passed away from cancer in January of 2024.

The Dukes worked with the Esquires from Roosevelt and Austin to keep city gangs out of Cicero. The Dukes also worked with the Berwyn Greasers from the neighboring suburb of Berwyn, Illinois.

Five Arch Duke and and Twelfth Street Player 1990s

Late 70s tag at Ogden and Austin with Arch Dukes and Noble Knights

This may have a watermark on it but the fact this is an official Berwyn/Cicero area newspaper supercedes this watermark's ownership as this is a public newspaper. Anyway, now that, that is out of the way, this is a photo from probably 1979 during the big blizzard showing Arch Dukes helping dig out people in the community while even wearing their sweaters

Arch Duke 1970s with tags in the background

George, the founder of the Arch Dukes, late 1960s

Original Arch Dukes photo from 1966 when they were first founded at 15th and 51st Court in the Grant Works at a church. The man standing up was the first leader.

Arch Dukes with captured sweaters in the earlier 1980s

President of the Arch Dukes Dan on the right shaking with a Latin King late 1970s. This is about when Arch Dukes turned People alliance

Arch Dukes, 1980s, Dan the President is on the right

The Arch Dukes ran Cicero during the 1970s until the Noble Knights outpaced them in the early 80s with membership. In the year 1978 the Arch Dukes joined the People alliance alongside Noble Knights, Twelfth Street Players and Latin Kings for protection of their incarcerated members. The Latin Kings assisted the Dukes with joining People because they had been allies since the late 60s.

In the early 1980s the Noble Knights and Two Two Boys grew larger in size than the Arch Dukes as Arch Dukes became much less active as they grew older, recruitment slowed down considerably. The last young recruit to join the Dukes was in 1986 and by the late 80s the active Arch Dukes were a small group. By the year 1992/1993 Hispanic gangs from Chicago took over Cicero and white flight began heavily in Cicero causing older Arch Dukes to move out of the area and the Dukes ceased operations.