African American Gangs

Early African American Gangs

The history of African American youth gangs extends as far back as the early 1900s. At that time, and until very recently, gangs were characterized by young people hanging out on street corners in certain locales. This pattern of association existed throughout the 20th century, especially in urban centers of migration including Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles. It is thought that these early groups formed to protect their localities from other groups of youths, including immigrants from other countries. Early gangs in South Los Angeles served as an oudet for many Black youth who fought against local White youth who did not approve of Black southern immigrants in their neighborhood. These gangs often fought over parties and hangout spots that revolved around high school rivalries. Most gangs used baseball bats, bumper jacks, or an occasional knife.

During the 1960s, 50% of gangs in Los Angeles were African American. One of the first black gangs was known as Baby Cribs, later termed “Cribs” and referred to as “Crips” today. During the late 1970s and 1980s, gun use increased as gang violence escalated. The Piru Crips Street Boys (AKA Piru Street Crips) banded together against the Crips in Los Angeles and formed a gang called the Bloods. By the mid-1970s, battles between the Bloods and the Crips were common on the streets as well as in jails and prisons.

Expansion of the Crips and Bloods

Around 1970, the Crips were dressing in a fashion so as to become recognized within society; they wore black leather jackets and walked with canes. The leather jackets became a symbol of Crips membership. The Crips began to commit robberies and assaults and were involved in extortion of merchandise, mugging the elderly, and ripping off weak youth.

By the 1980s, the Bloods' gang membership had expanded. Members wore red as a sign of their gang identity. Their involvement in selling drugs increased. Selling narcotics was a major part of the gangster lifestyle, bringing in large sums of money and more powerful weapons.

...