| Origins | Annexed c. 1889 |
|---|---|
| Area | West Side |
| Boundaries | Ogden Avenue on the North up to Douglas Park, railroad tracked along 33rd Street on the south, Western Avenue on the east, Kedzie Avenue on the west |
| Gangs founded | Cullerton Deuces, Insane Majestics, Two Two Boys, Stone Kents, |
| Gangs headquartered | Satan Disciples, Two Two Boys, Latin Kings, |
This area was first settled in 1827 as the largest part of the Lawndale-Crawford settlement; from there many farms were built in the area.
In the year 1863 the expansion of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroads caused Lawndale and Crawford to become separate communities with Lawndale on the north and this area became Crawford. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 many German, Irish, Dutch and Scottish immigrants fled to this area to start a new life far outside from the woes of the inner city.
In 1873 McCormick Reaper Works built their brand-new facility in South Lawndale right after the fire of 1871 and this made the area even more attractive to immigrants looking for housing near employment. The area was annexed in 1889 during the major annexation plan of 1889 and the area was renamed “South Lawndale.”
The area remained mostly farmland until the 1900s decade when Western Electric’s Hawthorne Works was built in nearby Cicero and the Sears Roebuck tower was constructed in neighboring North Lawndale. Now new subdivisions were laid out while Czechoslovakians began moving in large numbers to the community as Irish, Dutch and Scottish began moving out.
In the 1940s decade the Czechs were joined by a large influx of Polish immigrants that were lured in by the many manufacturing jobs in the area and now Germans, Czechs and Polish dominated the area.
Marshall Square (Named after James A. Marshall, a dancing school teacher in Chicago in the 1830s) is a section in South Lawndale of its own; however, most Chicagoans just call it Little Village, no one ever says “South Lawndale” or “Marshall Square” but I want to educate everyone on the facts, regardless of preferences. This is also a west side neighborhood not a south side neighborhood like many think, South Lawndale lies within the boundaries of Chicago’s west side.
Mexican and Puerto Rican families began to settle this area in 1966 as University of Illinois at Chicago campus construction and Lincoln Park urban renewal projects pushed Hispanic families out and brought them to Marshall Square as the first Hispanics in the area. Simultaneously, Mexican families began to relocate out of Pilsen seeking a better life on these safer streets. Nearby Pilsen and Heart of Chicago area were ripe with gang activity by 1966 and now many Mexican families preferred a new setting; however, they could not escape gangs because the Satan Disciples and Morgan Deuces migrated alongside Mexican migration. The Satan Disciples established the legendary 24th Street Satan Disciples that still exist in current years. This group of SDs was some heavy hitters. The Morgan Deuces overall were always heavy hitters. Both gangs clashed immediately and became arch enemies. The migrating Puerto Rican people also couldn’t escape the gangs of Lincoln Park and the Near West Side as the Artistics street gang followed them and settled 21st Street. Artistics also clashed with Satan Disciples but tolerated Morgan Deuces. All three of these gangs would develop animosity with the Latin Kings and Ridgeway Lords that now dominated Little Village. The Latin Kings had established a big settlement right at the border of Little Village and Marshall Square along Marshall Boulevard.
In the late 60s and early 70s years the gang conflicts within these borders were between Satan Disciples, Morgan Deuces and Artistics. These three gangs dominated this neighborhood during this time period.
In the year 1976 as our nation was celebrating the bi-centennial gang activity in Marshall Square up ticked as the last days of white flight in this area would run their course. The disappearance of industrial jobs hurt this community as middle-class whites sought greener pastures in the suburbs, impoverished Mexican and Puerto Rican families could not afford to live and instead the Hispanic population grew within these borders. The main gangs grew larger and Latin Kings were knocking at the door trying to spread over the Marshall/California Ave border. Gangs from Pilsen were hanging out here very often gathering mostly in the vicinity of Cermak and California. At this corner Ambrose and Satan Disciples hung out with the group that would become Two Two Boys. This neighborhood experienced two new groups that developed due to the hate of Latin Kings and that was the Kents and Two Two Boys. Ambrose settled in Little Village but Latin Counts settled the Lawndale Gardens projects in 1976. The Bishops from Pilsen settled among the Artistics at 21st and California. Artistics, Kents and Puerto Rican Stones hung out with Latin Counts and Bishops and the Morgan Deuces would join in this group of allies too. Satan Disciples and Two Two Boys became very close upon Two Two Boy inception. The notorious Party Players formed on these streets in 1976 and were trying to be friends with Latin Kings and Satan Disciples which would only take a year to determine it was not possible. A year later in 1977 the Satan Disciples declared war on the Party Players, most Party Players left this neighborhood and the other group that remained would stay until the later 1990s.
In the year 1980, the Morgan Deuces would semi-retire and begin using a different gang name for newly joining pre-teens called the Cullerton Deuces. In that same year the Puerto Rican Stones would absorb into the Artistic Kents. A year prior the Artistics combined with the Kents to create the powerful Artistic Kents combo. Now they would connect with Puerto Rican Stone’s influence from around the city with People nation allies, now this new creation was the Artistic Stone Kents or more known as Stone Kents. Both of these groups were close allies and two of the craziest groups these streets ever saw.
The 80s was a wild decade on these streets as this was the decade the gangs of Marshall Square were most active. The Cullerton Deuces realized in 1986 that they didn’t need to be part of the Morgan Deuces and stood on their own as Cullerton Deuces, this is when the Morgan Deuces made their final exit from these streets.
By the later 80s Latin Counts and Bishops left these streets which was now a prime opportunity for the Latin Kings to settle this area. By this time Stone Kents and Cullerton Deuces were tight with Latin Kings but Two Two Boys and Satan Disciples were infuriated now that Latin Kings ran the Lawndale Gardens projects after the Latin Counts departed. The later 80s brought about great violence between these gangs and the Cullerton Deuce/Satan Disciple war was legendary during these years.
In the 1990s gang violence and crime may have been at the highest point as several shootings became common. Latin Kings showed dominance even after leaving the Lawndale Gardens projects. Later in the decade Stone Kents left 21st and Marshall to Latin Kings and from there Latin Kings took over old Stone Kents turf causing the Latin Kings to become a large presence in this community. The most intense wars were now between Latin Kings and Satan Disciples. In the year 1992 a war started between Two Two Boys and Satan Disciples and during this decade Two Two Boys fought legendary wars during this decade against Latin Kings and Satan Disciples. The only positive for the Two Two Boys came in 1994 when the Cullerton Deuces switched alliances to Folk alliance, the two gangs then would hang out together at times or even go against SDs and Latin Kings.
The Lawndale projects became increasingly African American by the 1990s as Latin Kings were moving out, now Black P Stones and Conservative Vice Lords moved in. The CVLs would have the more influential control of these projects. CVLs would battle Satan Disciples and Latin Kings mainly.
Since the 21st century these streets have quieted significantly but gang violence and crime are still higher than the average. CVLs, Black P Stones, Latin Kings, Satan Disciples, Cullerton Deuces and Two Two Boys still walk these streets. The Two Two Boys have continued to have a tough existence being in between Latin Kings and Satan Disciples but they remain firmly rooted.
In the 1960s Morgan Deuces, Satan Disciples and Artistics dominated this neighborhood.
In the 1970s Morgan Deuces, Satan Disciples and Artistic Kents dominated these streets.
In the 1980s Cullerton Deuces, Satan Disciples, Stone Kents and Two Two Boys dominated these streets
In the 1990s Cullerton Deuces, Satan Disciples, Latin Kings and Two Two Boys dominated these streets
In the 2000s up to present day Satan Disciples and Latin Kings are the dominating groups.
Marshall Square is the birthplace of the Two Two Boys, Insane Majectics (when they were Majestic Party Crew), Stone Kents and Cullerton Deuces.
Morgan Deuces Established 1966-1980
Cullerton to Cermak, Washtenaw to Rockwell (Cullerton Deuces) Established 1966-1980
Black P Stones 90s-present years
25th to 26th, California to Washtenaw (Lawndale Gardens projects shared with Conservative Vice Lords) 90s-present years
Bishops 70s, 80s
21st & California 70s, 80s
Latin Counts Established 1976-1985
25th to 26th, California to Washtenaw (Lawndale projects) 1976-1985
Party Players Established 1976-90s
24th Place & Washtenaw Established 1976-90s
Cullerton Deuces Established 1980-present years
19th to Cermak, Rockwell to Fairfield (Mad Town) Established 1980-present years
Satan Disciples Established 1966-present years
Cermak to 26th, California to Western (Hell Zone) Established 1966-present years
Majestic Party Crew 1985-1990
I do not know exactly where they were, please send feedback
Two Two Boys Established 1976-present years
Cermak to 24th, Marshall to California (Motherland, Cal Boyz) Established 1976-present years
Puerto Rican Stones Established 1973-1980
21st & Marshall Established 1973-1980
Stone Kents Established 1966 as Artistics, Established 1976-90s as Kents
21st & Marshall Established 1966 as Artistics (shared with Puerto Rican Stones)
23rd & Marshall
21st to 24th, California to Marshall as Stone Kents
21st & California as Artistics
Latin Kings Established 1985-present years
21st & California (Cal Two One) Established 1996 took over former Stone Kent turf
21st to Cermak, Marshall to Fairfield (Cal Two One) Established 1996 taken over former Stone Kent turf
Cermak to 25th, Albany to California
25th to 26th, California to Washtenaw (Lawndale Gardens projects) Established 1985
Conservative Vice Lords 90s-present years
25th to 26th, California to Washtenaw (Lawndale Gardens projects shared with Black P Stones) 90s-present years