Latin Souls

Beginning in the early 1960s, Puerto Rican people began moving into the far northern portion of Englewood between 55^th Street to 57^th Street and from Racine Avenue to Lowe Avenue. This area of Englewood was transitioning from being a white neighborhood to becoming an African American area. The Devil’s Disciples were advancing north at the time fighting off white gangs along the way. The Falcon Disciples was the main Disciple group growing in the area just south of the new Puerto Rican community. The Halsted Street Hustlers from 55^th and Halsted represented the northern side of 55^th and Halsted on the Back of the Yards side and this group gave many Puerto Rican youths a hard time. The Puerto Ricans were in the cross fire of a racial war between whites and blacks and absorbed the issues of both sides of the conflict. In the year 1962, the Village Sharks formed in this Puerto Rican community to battle against groups like Falcon Disciples and Halsted Street Hustlers along with multiple other groups.

In the mid-1960s more Puerto Rican people moved along the 55^th Street (Garfield Boulevard) corridor which brought the formation of the Emerald Knights from 56^th and Emerald in Emerald Park and the Latin Kings arrived in 1966 forming in apartments at 57^th and Halsted. Before Village Sharks got into entanglements with these newer groups most of the Village Sharks went off to Vietnam and never returned to gang life. Some Village Sharks protected the area of the Byrnes apartments that were once located along 55^th between Halsted Street and Green Street, after the Sharks left the younger youths from the Byrnes apartments began organizing in the absense of the Village Sharks that were now completely gone by 1968, leaving only some young members of the Sharks. The younger Sharks along with the other group of Puerto Rican youths formed a new club called the “Latin Souls.” The Latin Souls would now claim 55^th and Halsted. The Latin Souls would more or less have an alliance and relationship with the Emerald Knights as they both battled Latin Kings, Falcon Disciples and the newly formed Bostonian Pimps (Boss Pimps) from 59^th and May. Emerald Knights and Latin Souls were allied with the Cobrastones (Mickey Cobras) from 53^rd and Shields in Fuller Park. The earliest Latin Souls also had a vicious rivalry with the Gaylords from Sherman Park especially since the Gaylords did not want the Puerto Rican community to grow.

An October 6, 1970 Chicago Tribune article reported a shooting in Englewood between “Devil’s Disciples” and “Emerald Knights” which was racially motivated.  The news article did not mention Falcon Disciples, Bostonian Pimps or Latin Souls but those groups were all involved in this shootout that took place in Englewood at 56^th and Sangamon right outside Wendell Holmes elementary school. The article stated Joseph Newsome of the Devil’s Disciples was killed being shot to death by the Emerald Knights. Joseph Newsome was a member if the Falcon Disciples, even though the article did not specify which Disciples group was involved, Newsome was known as “Tuba” and he lived at 57^th and Morgan which was at the border between the black part of Englewood and the Puerto Rican part. James Bonds was also shot by Emerald Knights and he needed emergency care with a bullet wound in his spine. The article only stated that Bonds was a Disciple but he was a Bostonian Pimp (Boss Pimp) according to legends and possibly an original member. The article identified all the shooters as Emerald Knights gang members but legend has it that the Latin Souls were present during that shooting and may have fired some shots. One Emerald Knight was shot in the foot and needed medical care, he was arrested while seeking treatment, his address in the paper was 5713 S. Emerald which was at 57^th and Emeralds which was Emerald Knight turf. Two other members of the Emerald Knights were charged with the shooting and their addresses were at 53^rd and Halsted and in the Byrnes apartments which was Latin Soul territory, I have heard they were actually Latin Souls but the article says they were Emerald Knights.

On June 15, 1971 The Daily Calumet newspaper reported on gang violence in the South Chicago community between a gang called the Saints (not 45^th Street Saints) and a group of Latin Souls that the article claimed were from “north of Woodlawn.” 55^th and Halsted in north of Woodlawn but it more northwest of it. The article stated “…The Latin Souls, a gang from an area north of Woodlawn with a small branch of the group in South Chicago.” This was proof that the Latin Souls branched out in South Chicago in 1971. The article stated the gang war between Saints and Souls resulted in three shootings and two stabbings with no on being killed. The articles seem to point to the Latin Souls residing in the southern part of South Chicago in the 92^nd and Commercial area, the Saints were north in this area by 87^th and Houston, the Latin Souls were likely south of Saint hood. In the article the Saints claimed the Latin Souls were the aggressors and were attacking them even though the article reported that the Saints jumped two Latin Souls and stabbed them during the day time following a shooting at a dance at 92^nd Street. The Latin Souls claimed they were harassed by the Saints in school (Source: The Daily Calumet June 15, 1971, Margie Corich). The Latin Souls likely migrated to South Chicago because they were starting to leave the 55^th and Halsted area and this group was likely the first ones to depart. African Americans were now moving into the white area of southeast Back of the Yards and in the Puerto Rican area of Englewood. The King Cobrastones, an African American gang began opening territory in southeast Back of the Yards as whites were fleeing the area. Latin Souls had grown to dominate the southeast Back of the Yards from 51^st Street to 56^th Street and from Morgan Street to Union Avenue. Latin Kings and Emerald Knights had territory south of 56^th Street and Latin Souls and the Knights continued to battle Latin Kings and Disciples. In 1972 Latin Souls would begin to lose territory in the southeast Back of the Yards as the Puerto Rican and white neighborhood began to become African American. The most northern territories the Souls had near 51^st and 52^nd began to change racially which pinned the Souls closer to 55^th and Halsted area mostly in the Byrnes apartments in Englewood. King Cobrastones would then take over this area but not because of war, most relations between Souls and Cobras was peaceful.

Beginning in 1972 some members of the Latin Souls moved west of Racine Avenue and north of Sheridan Park in the 51^st and Hermitage area. Members were also moving the Gage Park at 55^th and Western Avenue, in this area Souls fought white gangs because the neighborhood was white at the time.

By 1974, the Latin Souls at 51^st and Marshfield and at 51^st and Morgan were becoming independent of the Latin Souls from 55^th and Halsted that were still holding down the Byrnes apartments but much of that apartment complex was becoming African American and Puerto Rican people were moving out of the colony along 55^th and moving west in the Sherman Park area. Latin Souls had heavy battles with the Gaylords over Sherman Park.

I am not sure when the Latin Souls left South Chicago but I think it was within a year or two since the Daily Calumet article from 1971. Latin Souls would not last at 55^th and Western but they remain in Gage Park until the 2000s.

In the year 1976, the Byrnes apartments were torn down as they were ran down and in a dire state. All Latin Souls from those apartments mostly went to work in the steel mills, joined the military or went to college. Some became teachers, government employees or social workers. The entire Puerto Rican community was gone by 1976 as was the original chapter of the Latin Souls but in the southwest Back of the Yards Latin Souls had now conquered from 51^st Street to 48^th Street and from Wolcott Avenue to Ashland Avenue. The Souls defeated the rest of the Gaylords and they were pushed to the southwest corner of the community. The main area of Latin Souls in this area was 51^st and Hermitage. For the rest of the 70s Latin Souls faced little competition for this land until Black P Stones started moving into the neighborhood slowly in the late 70s. In the year 1980, the Black P Stones had fully moved into Sherman Park area just west of the park all the way to Ashland. Latin Kings formed at 51^st and Ada which was just north of the park. Sherman Park was now surrounded by Latin Kings, Black P Stones and King Cobrastones. Bishops moved into the neighborhood at 50^th and Elizabeth north of the park. The Satan Disciples and Two Two Boys moved to 51^st and Wood just west of Soul territory. The Latin Souls immediately tangled with Bishops, Latin Kings and Black P Stones.

In the year 1981, the Black P Stones, Latin Kings and Bishops joined the People alliance and teamed up against the Latin Souls. Latin Souls joined the Folk alliance and began hanging out with Two Two Boys and Satan Disciples, Souls would also end their war with Black Gangster Disciples (formerly Devil’s Disciples) and begin drug trafficking with BGDs. Despite the assistance received, Latin Souls were still forced to push back their territory to between 48^th to 49^th and Wolcott to Ashland. The Latin Souls had a war with the Saints since arriving around 51^st and Hermitage but now that their headquartered area was 49^th and Hermitage this put them in heavier odds with the Saints. Even though the Latin Souls had less territory in the 80s they still grew to their peak in the 80s.

In the year 1995, the Latin Souls spread to 57^th and Trumbull (Senka Park) in the Gage Park neighborhood. The Souls opened up in Marquette Park  at 65th and Sacramento “Skinny Town” in 1995 after Ambrose invited them in due to weapons and drug deals between the two gangs, this brought the Souls into a war with the Party People. Souls would also settle at 63^rd and Karlov in the West Ridge neighborhood. Latin Souls also became the only Chicago gang to ever settle in the Mount Greenwood community in 1997 when they opened their 111^th and Homan turf.

The unity among Folks did not last long and soon interalliance wars were running rampant on the streets of Chicago and the Latin Souls got caught up in a war with La Raza in 1995, over time, the Latin Souls would end up at war with Two Sixs, City Knights and Satan Disciples by the turn of the 21^st century.

The founder of the Latin Souls Hector Sanchez died of a heart attack in 1995 after over 30 years of leadership.

In the early 2000s many Latin Souls faced federal indictment and went to prison. Afterward there was a lack of leadership for the younger Latin Souls left on the streets and soon all their satellite sections would close and only 49^th and Hermitage area would remain but the area became increasingly less active especially once the area became increasingly African American and the Gangster Disciples started to take over.

Please send in old school pics.  1960s 1970s pics will be especially appreciated!  Please send Village Sharks and Emerald Knight pics!

Questions:

Known sections of Latin Souls past and present

Back of the Yards neighborhood Established 1968-present years

Sections of Back of the Yards

48^th to 51^th, Wolcott to Marshfield (Chief Town, Murderfield) Established 1972-present years

55^th to 51^st, Union to Morgan 1968-1976

Englewood neighborhood Established 1968-1976

Sections of Englewood

55^th to 56^th, Union to Morgan

Gage Park neighborhood Established 1972-2000s

Sections of Gage Park

57^th & Trumbull

Marquette Park neighborhood Established 1995-2000s

Sections of Marquette Park

65^th & Sacramento (Skinny Town) Established 1995-2000s

Mount Greenwood neighborhood Established 1997-2000s

Sections of Mt. Greenwood

111^th & Homan

West Lawn neighborhood 90s

Sections of West Lawn

63^rd & Karlov 90s

Suburbs

Alton