Satan Disciples

The Satan Disciples’ started in the year 1959 by “King Satan” at the street corner of 15th and Talman in the North Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago’s west side. They started on the east side of Douglas Park which was not a major African American neighborhood at that time. The vast majority of North Lawndale was African American by 1959 but the last of the white element was east of the park.

The Satan Disciples was founded mainly by Czechoslovakian and Polish white males and they took in Mexican youths too that made up about half the gang.  Some legends have claimed that the Satan Disciple name was an idea spawned from influence from the early Devil’s Disciples (Black Disciples, Gangster Disciples) as the Devil’s Disciples taught the Satan Disciples how to gangbang, this is not true at all.  The Satan Disciples did not have any links to Black Gangster Disciples until 1978 when the Folk alliance was established.  The real origin of the name came from a priest that did community outreach in the area came across the original SDs and called them Devil’s Disciples and that gave the youths the idea to form the Satan Disciples.

In the year 1960, the Satan Disciples opened up one of their most legendary chapters at 18th and California (Douglas Park) in the North Lawndale neighborhood along with 14th and Washtenaw in North Lawndale.  The Satan Disciples also landed in the Near West Side community at Taylor and Racine the same year.  In the same year Satan Disciples also opened in the Heart of Italy (West Pilsen) area at 18th and Oakley which became another legendary section and was home to legendary members like Big Sach.  Now the SDs were in three different neighborhoods within just one year of their existence.

The original SDs fought against gangs like the Gaylords at 18th and Western, Ambrose at 18th and Throop or the Latin Counts from 18th street and Loomis. The Latin Kings did not have any territory or any foothold in any of the SDs sections back in the earliest years of the SDs existence; therefore, the show Gangland on history channel was not very accurate about SDs being formed because of the Latin Kings, it is total bullshit.  The Latin Kings were not the number 1 reason for Satan Disciples coming together.  There were larger threats from Ambrose, Latin Counts and Vice Lords that were much closer to SD turf and Latin Kings didn’t exist in the early 60s.

By 1964, Latin Kings began pushing their way into the Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods. Latin Kings wanted 18th street in Pilsen and 26th street in Little Village and this did not fly well for the gangs that had already been there. The Latin Kings were able to set up massive territory along 26th street but 18th street proved to be a major challenge for them and that is partially credited to the Satan Disciples that held it down at18th and California and they would eventually spread to 18th and Rockwell in the North Lawndale neighborhood to further solidify their presence and keep Latin Kings out. The Latin Kings still were able to secure territory on 21-31st street all through Pilsen and Little Village but the SDs made it very hard for Latin Kings to exist there until Latin Kings turned the Coulter Counts into Coulter Kings in the late 60s but that was all that the Latin Kings could settle in Pilsen.

The original Satan Disciples were fairly well mannered and well dressed and even had their own band. The only time they were not well mannered is when they faced their enemies and that was when the horns would come out. Speaking of horns, the idea for the baby devil with horns with pitchfork came from old comic books gang members used to read; therefore, that was their new symbols along with an intimating name.

The SDs remained a very small fighting club in the 1960s but managed to keep all their turf accept 14th and Washtenaw but that is because efforts were needed more on 18th street and because that neighborhood was changing racially which is what caused the original chapter at 15th and Tallman to close. SDs did lose some numbers in the later 1960s due to some members getting drafted or enlisting to serve in the Vietnam war; however, those members were replaced by younger Mexican youths but it still stunted the SDs ability to grow larger at the time.

In the year 1966, the Satan Disciples may have had slower growth for a short time on 18th due to the war but now new territory was opened at 24th and Washtenaw when “Big Aggie” and “Little Aggie” arrived in this Marshall square neighborhood.  This would become a legendary chapter that would eventually spread up and down 24th Street between California Ave and Western Ave.  The biggest 24th sections would become 24th and Washtenaw and 24th and Rockwell.  At 24th and California Satan Disciples and Latin Kings would clash for many years as both groups claimed this territory.  at the 24 Street territory SDs also fought the Artistics and Morgan Deuces, then later they fought Two Six, Kents and Cullerton Deuces by the 1970s.  24th Street opened alongside Mexican and Puerto Rican migration to Marshall Square in 1966.

In 1971 or 1972  “King Satan” was no longer the leader and “King Canary” took over.

It was in the early 1970s when a Satan Disciple named “KingFish” flipped to become a Gaylord.  After he flipped he convinced many white original SDs to become Gaylords and this began the 18th and Western Gaylords.  These Gaylords started because they felt threatened with the neighborhood becoming majority Mexican.

As the 1970s progressed Pilsen and Little Village became more and more gang infested and the gangs became more violent. The drug trade also became a larger phenomenon once the heroin trade began by 1970 on the streets of Chicago. Some of the older SDs got into the drug trade but it was not rampant at all in the organization at the time or really in any of the organizations back then but it was present.

Ambrose and Latin Counts were gunning for complete control of Pilsen while Latin Kings were trying to dominate Little Village entirely. Satan Disciples viciously fought all these gangs and even Two Six when they first started in 1970.

In 1975, Satan Disciples opened new turf on the northern part of Chicago in the southern part of the West Town neighborhood.  After the Gaylords left the area in 1975 the SDs were just moving in around Erie and Wood and Huron and Ashland areas.  In this area the SDs fought viciously with the C-Notes in the area. This would begin a permanent chapter for the SDs.

In 1977, SDs opened of their first piece of south side territory outside of the Little Village/Marshall Square/Heart of Chicago/North Lawndale area at 42nd and Campbell in the Brighton Park neighborhood.  From here, the Satan Disciples opened more territory in Brighton Park and became a permanent part of Brighton Park.

In the year 1978 a significant amount of Satan Disciples were now locked up in prison including some original members. In April, 1978 the Folk and People nation alliances were created in Statesville Prison in a meeting directed by Larry Hoover who was the leader of the Black Gangsters Disciples. The purpose of this alliance was to organize the gang wars in prison and perhaps the streets. Hoover and David Barksdale had found allied white and Latino gangs throughout the 1970s to aide them in their wars with the Vice Lords and it was rumored that the Satan Disciples first encountered David Barksdale’s Black Disciples back in the 1960s and friendship was established especially since Vice Lords were trying to conquer everything on the west side of Douglas Park in North Lawndale. A pre-existing relationship between BGDs and BDs made for a smooth transition into the Folk Nation alliance. The SDs’ then reluctantly unified with the Two Sixs and Ambrose who also joined the Folk Nation which brought these gangs together not only in the joint but on the streets as well.  Before this SDs deeply hated Ambrose and were arch enemies back in the 60s and at least a good part of the 70s especially after the leader of Ambrose Louis Limas shot Mark Rodriguez in the leg, and shot Fidel Perez at the corner of 16th and Fairfield in the North Lawndale neighborhood on October 19, 1974 (People vs. Rodriguez, 1980).  Sometime after this shooting and maybe not until the Folk Nation was formed were Ambrose and SDs allies, but definitely by the time both gangs were Folks in April 1978, they became allies in the streets.

Right after the SDs joined the Folk Nation, the first written constitution was drafted thanks in part to the influence of the BGDs. The Satan Disciples would now operate with bylaws to follow that laid out the proper conduct that all members must abide by. The biggest benefit of the bylaws was it permitted free enterprise so that all members were allowed at any point in time to open legit businesses just like how the Chicago Outfit did it since the 1910s, this was definitely a major perk to being a SD.

When Folk and People began in 1978, Satan Disciples, Two Six and Two Two Boys formed an alliance called “Insane.”  Two Six and Satan Disciples took it a step higher and became “Insane Gangster.”  This alliance squashed most of the conflict between SDs and Two Six and allowed them to do business together and with the Black Gangster Disciples.

In the year 1980, the Satan Disciples opened up a legendary section at 51st and Wood in the Back of the Yards neighborhood alongside a new wave of Mexican migration to the neighborhood.  In this neighborhood SDs found rivalry with the Saints and fought other newly arriving gangs like Latin Kings and Bishops.

In the year 1980, the SDs allied with Ashland Vikings, Maniac Latin Disciples, Milwaukee Kings and Harrison Gents in their West Town section right at the time when the UPCI was formed.  This tightened up their relations with other Folks in the area.

In 1980 or 1981 “King Canary” was no longer the leader of the SDs and Aggipito “King Aggie” Villalobos stepped into that role. I do not know what happened to “King Canary” but he was no longer in charge by 1981 is all I know. Under “King Aggie” the Satan Disciples opened up new territory throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s in other parts of the city, Chicagoland suburbs and other states as membership swelled into the thousands. “King Aggie” was able to run the organization even after he was incarcerated in 1983 for Armed Robbery. The Satan Disciples had now opened several more sections in the Heart Of Chicago neighborhood and several more in Little Village. I want to stop for a moment and explain something to the reader. I am a very technical writer and I am very technical about Chicago neighborhoods; therefore, I keep referring to SD hoods along 18th street as in the Heart Of Chicago neighborhood and not in Pilsen. The truth is the Lower West Side neighborhood is divided in two sections, one is Pilsen and the other is Heart Of Chicago but most people just call all of it Pilsen which is why the SDs are often considered to be a Pilsen gang. I can respect the fact that the SDs can be considered a Pilsen gang but being as technical as I am the Heart Of Chicago neighborhood is where SD turf is in this vicinity. The Heart Of Chicago consists of these boundaries, Western Ave to Ashland, Blue Island Ave to 16th Street, while Pilsen is Ashland Ave to Halsted Street and Cermak Road to 16th Street. With that being said the Satan Disciples pretty much completely dominated the Heart of Chicago neighborhood by the 1980s and even presently. Or you can say West Pilsen is mostly all run by SDs and has been ever since the Gaylords and Stone Kents left.

Many of Pilsen gangs have tried to conquer turf west of Ashland Ave but are often met with bullets and beatings which would then cause them to determine their conquest just was not worth the cost. The only gang that was ever able to contend west of Ashland in this area on 18th Street is the Bishops.

In the early 1980s, the Satan Disciples advanced into the Garfield Ridge neighborhood in the Midway Airport area of the city.  These Satan Disciples arrived to support the newer Hispanic community that had moved into the Sleepy Hallow area of Garfield Ridge.  Insane Popes ruled this neighborhood which was a mostly white gang and much of the Hispanic youths tangled with Popes many times along racial lines.  The Satan Disciples arrived to recruit these youths and the Satan Disciples established the “Sleepy Hallow SDs” that remain in this area permanently.

On the day of November 7, 1986 relations between Satan Disciples and Two Six would reach a historic disruption.  On this day Ambrose gang members became infuriated with Two Sixs from 28th Street over a girl and proceeded to drive to their neighborhood and shoot at them in the K-Town area of Little Village.  Two Six got revenge by crashing a party in the Marquette Park community at 63rd and Washtenaw held by Ambrose in their territory.  A group of Two Six opened fire into a crowd of party goers shooting two Two Two Boy gang members killing one of them while they killed two Satan Disciples too.  After this the Satan Disciples declared war on Two Six which would become a legendary war that never ended.  Because of this war the Two Sixs dropped the “Insane” from their name and became just Gangster Two Six while SDs remained Insane Gangster and Two Two Boys were still Insane with the SDs.

In the 1980s and first half of the 1990s the SDs had spread into many Chicago land suburbs especially the suburb of Cicero, IL in 1992.  Bobby D and Wakko D brought SDs to Cicero in 1992. The SDs opened up in Westmont, Downers Grove, Aurora, Bridgeview, Waukegan, West Chicago, Rockford, Kankakee, Calumet City, Berwyn and Blue Island just to name some. The Downers Grove, Westmont suburbs only lasted about 1987 to 1993 but for the many others I listed they either went strong for a while or are still going strong today. It was at this point in time when the SDs started to make new enemies due to colonizing other neighborhoods, enemies such as the Saints, Noble Knights, 12th Street Players, T.A.P Boyz and more Vice Lord factions.

In the year 1987 the Satan Disciples engaged in a very violent gang war with Harrison Gents and Milwaukee Kings in the Southern West Town area.  This war intensified in 1994 when a major shooting caused Milwaukee Kings and Satan Disciples to face incarceration.  The Satan Disciples also went to war with Maniac Latin Disciples in 1994 and the MLDs brought in allies Latin Jivers and Milwaukee Kings to assist but that attempt failed and Satan Disciples stood strong fighting them all until all three gangs left the area leaving the Satan Disciples to become the biggest gang in the Southern West Town neighborhood as they continue to fight with C-Notes and Latin Kings.

In the year 1988, the Satan Disciples converted a portion of a Bridgeport neighborhood gang called the “Mighty Projects” into SDs and that brought the SDs 32nd and Lituanica in the Bridgeport Homes projects.

Satan Disciples were also having intense rivalries with other Folks in West Town as their relationships with Harrison Gents and Ashland Vikings disintegrated.

In the years 1989 and 1992 the Satan Disciples opened up the Insane alliance deeper as they invited the Insane Majestics in 1992 and City Knights in 1989.  In the year 1992 Satan Disciples and Two Two Boys were to war and Two Twos officially left the Insane alliance.

In the year 1993, Satan Disciples opened up territory in the Gage Park neighborhood at 59th and Spaulding started by OSO.  These SDs came from the K-Town area of the Little Village community, many of which were former Ridgeway Lords that slipped to SDs. These SDs became a permanent fixture in the Gage Park community.  In this area the Satan Disciples warred heavily with Crown Town Latin Kings.

In 1995 “King Aggie” was released from prison but he soon found he was not embraced by all of the SDs. Many SDs told “King Aggie” that he should not be the leader and that they wanted second in command Danny “Gizmo” Valencia to run the Satan Disciples as the new “King.” In November of 1995 “Gizmo” was shot and killed. It was said that his own gang killed him, more specifically “King Aggie” supporters and supposedly the hit was ordered by “King Aggie.” After that the Satan Disciples never had another “King.”

In the mid-1990s SDs erupted into war with the Harrison Gents, C-Notes and Milwaukee Kings.

As the 1990s progressed the SDs had grown into several thousands of members becoming one of the largest street gangs in the city. Over time some sections would pop up while others would close down. The reason for the closure of certain sections was due to decisions to withdraw if an area was not profitable enough or if police presence was too strong. The SDs often function in a very organized crime manner and would only leave a turf if it was more profitable to invest more in another area. Using smart business sense the SDs had grown their profits, opened several legit businesses, retained original territory and opened new turf and eventually would grow to have almost 10,000 members.

Please send in 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s pics!

Known sections of the Satan Disciples past and present

Albany Park neighborhood 1990s and 2000s

Sections of Albany Park

Ainslie & Avers

Montrose & Drake

Ainslie & Springfield

Ashburn neighborhood 2000s-present years

Sections of Ashburn

81^st to 83^rd, Karlov to Pulaski 2000s-present years

Back of the Yards neighborhood established 1980

Sections of Back of the Yards

Oakley 50^th to 51^st

Wood from 50^th to 51^st Established 1980

48^th & Bishop

Bridgeport neighborhood established 1988-present years

Sections of Bridgeport

31^st 32^nd, Aberdeen to Halsted Established 1988-present years

31^st to 31^st Place, Halsted to Morgan (Bridgeport projects) Established 1988-present years

29^th & Wallace

Brighton Park neighborhood established 1977

Sections of Brighton Park

38^th to 40^th, Rockwell to Western

Archer to 48th California to Western (No Love City) Established 1977

47^th to 48^th, California to Western (4-7)

45^th & Sawyer

Canaryville neighborhood 90s-present years

Sections of Canaryville

47^th to 49^th, Halsted to Union 90s-present years

43rd & Lowe 90s-present years

Clearing neighborhood established 1990

Sections of Clearing

59^th to 60^th, Monitor to Central Ave (Minute Man Park) Established 1990

Gage Park neighborhood established 1993

Sections of Gage Park

58^th to 59^th, Central Park Ave to Sacramento Established 1993

59^th & Homan

59^th & Mozart

Garfield Ridge neighborhood Established 1990-present years

Sections of Garfield Ridge

43^rd to 48^th, Cicero to Knox (Hollow SDs) Established 1990-present years

51^st & Kilpatrick 2020s (present years)

Heart of Chicago neighborhood established 1960-present years

Sections of the Heart of Chicago

18^th to 24^th, Western to Damen (Oakk Town, Oakley SDs) Established 1960-present years

18th & Western 80s-present years

25th & Western 2000s-present years

Irving Park neighborhood

Sections of Irving Park

Grace & Kedzie

Little Village neighborhood 80s

Sections of Little Village

27^th & Komenski 80s

Marquette Park neighborhood Established 1993-present years

Sections of Marquette Park

59^th to 60^th, Trumbull to Sawyer Established 1993-present years

59^th to 60^th, Whipple to California (5-9) Established 1993-present years

71^st to 72^nd, Central Park Ave to Sawyer Established 1993-present years

59^th & Central Park Ave (Devil’s pit) Established 1993-present years

60^th & St. Louis

Marshall Square neighborhood Established 1966-present years

Sections of Marshall Square

Cermak to 26th, California to Western (Hell Zone) Established 1966-present years

McKinley Park neighborhood Established 1983-present years

Sections of McKinley Park

Archer to 36^th, Damen to Ashland (Wild Wood, Dark Side) Established 1983-present years

Near West Side neighborhood Established 1960-1990s

Sections of Near West Side

Taylor Street from Campbell to Washtenaw

Taylor & Racine Established 1960

Taylor & Oakley

North Lawndale neighborhood Established 1959-present years

Sections of North Lawndale

Ogden to 19^th, California to Western (Evil Side) Established 1959-present years

Southern West Town neighborhood Established 1975-present years

Sections of Southern West Town

Erie to Grand, Paulina to Ashland Established 1990s-present years

Chicago to Erie, Elizabeth to Racine (Eckhart Park) Established 1975-present years

Ashland & Huron 90s

Elizabeth & Huron Established 1975-present years

Ohio & Marshfield 90s

West Lawn neighborhood Established 1990-present years

Sections of West Lawn

59^th to 61^st, Kenneth to Pulaski Established 1990-present years

Suburbs

Cicero Established 1992 23^rd & Central (Cicero SDs)

Justice The Horseshoe 88^th and Archer

Bridgeview 87^th & Harlem

Berwyn

Blue Island

Hometown

Kankakee

Mount Prospect

Riverdale, IL

Rock Island

Waukegan

West Chicago

Bolingbrook

Downers Grove

Aurora

Robbins