1

Blackstone Rangers and the Civil Rights

and Black Power Movement in Chicago

Sam Keiser
Senior Seminar
April 15, 2014
 2

WhenyouthinkoftheCivilRightsMovementintheNorthernstates,thelast

peoplethoughtofwouldbegangsmembers.Inourminds,MartinLutherKing,James

Bevel,JesseJackson,andStokelyCarmichaelarethepeoplecreditedwithspreadingthe

MovementtotheNorth.Becauseofthisview,theroleslocalorganizationsandgangs

playedintheCivilRightsandBlackPowerMovementsisoftenglossedover.Nowhereis

thismoreapparentthaninChicagointhelate60sduringtheChicagoFreedom

Movementof1966andthesubsequentriseoftheBlackPowerMovementof1968.This

markedaperiodwhenganginvolvementintheCivilRightsMovementwouldnotonly

grow;itwouldactivelybesoughtafter.Inthe60s,Chicagobasedgangsbecamemore

numerousandmoreorganizedthanthepreviousiterations.TheirinvolvementintheCivil

RightsandBlackPowerMovementsenabledthemtobecomeplayersnotonlylocallybut

onthenationalstageaswell.

TheBlackstoneRangers,whowouldalsobeknownastheBlackP.StonesandEl

Rukn,werecooptedintotheCivilRightsMovementinChicago.Theywereableto

extendtheirinfluencebeyondtheCivilRightsMovement,andintotheBlackPower

Movementaswell.TheRangersandtheirleaderJeffFortbecamethemostnotorious

ganginChicago.Theirrisetoprominenceandcommunityactivismmadethemaunique

forceinthe60s.TherelationshipstheyformedwithprominentCivilRightsandBlack

Powerleaderssuchas,MartinLutherKingJr.,JesseJackson,andFredHamptonshowed

theirwillingnesstofighttheinequalitiesinWoodlawn.TounderstandtheBlackstone

RangersandhowtheybecamesuchaprominentganginChicago,theirbeginningsmust

beconsidered.ThemanmostassociatedwiththeRangerswhocametobetheeventual
 3

leaderoftheBlackstoneRangerswasJeffFort.HewasbornonFebruary20,1947in

Aberdeen,Mississippi,heandhisfamilywouldlatertakeupresidenceinChicagos

SouthSideinthemidfifties.Atayoungage,JeffForthadapenchantforgettingin

troublewiththelaw.Hebeganpoppinginandoutofjuveniledetentioncenters.Itwas

herethathemetEugeneBullHairston,whowouldeventuallybecometheleader

BlackstoneRangers.TheytookthenameBlackstonefromBlackstoneAvenuethestreet

theylivedon.Theexactyearthatthegangwasformedvariesfromsourcetosource,the

gangwasofficiallyformedsometimeinthelate50stoearly60s.However,themost

likelyyearofthegangsformationoccurredin1959.Originally,EugeneHairston

assumedleadershipofthegangwithJeffFortashissecondincommand.Thisgang,like

manyothers,wasformedtoprotecttheirneighborhoodfromrivalgangsliketheDevils

Disciples,Imperials,Conservatives,FBIs,DrexelCasanovas,andtheGangsters.1During

thegangsearlyyears,theyadheredtotheiroriginalgoals,protectingtheirneighborhood

fromtheencroachmentofthesegangsontheirterritory.2

TheearlyhistoryofChicagogangsisimportanttoconsiderwhentalkingabout

howgangswereabletogrowpowerfulandwhytheywereopentojoiningtheCivil

RightsMovementsofthe60s.Before1960,blackgangswereverysmallcomparedto

theircounterpartstodayandcontrolledaverysmallamountofturf.UnliketheIrish

gangsinthe20sorthewhitesupremacistsgangsofthelate40s,theblackgangsdidnot

1 Natalie Y. Moore., and Lance Williams. 2011. The Almighty Black P

Stone Nation: The Rise, Fall, and Resurgence of an American Gang.
Chicago, Ill: Lawrence Hill Books. 32
2 Tom Brune and James Ylisela, JR. "The Making of Jeff Fort." Chicago magazine.
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/November-1988/The-Making-of-Jeff-
Fort/ (accessed April 12, 2014).
 4

havethesamekindofoutsidesupport.TheIrishgangsinthe20shadthesupportof

variouspoliticianswhoformedyouthclubsforboystogather.Anotherexampleisthe

riseofwhitesupremacistgangsinthewakeofWorldWarIIandtheGreatMigration.As

moreandmoreblacksbeganstreamingnorth,whitesbandedtogetherinordertokeep

blacksoutoftraditionallywhiteneighborhoods.WhiteSupremacistgangsalsoenjoyed

thebackingofpoliticalfigures,realtorsandmembersofthepoliceforce.Insteadofbeing

unified,blackgangswereseparatedbythesmallamountsofterritorytheyhadclaimed.

Thislackofunitymeantthatthesesmallerblackgangshadtocontendnotonlywiththe

whitegangs,butotherblackgangsaswell.However,thiswouldallchangein60s.

The60smarkedanewperiodforblackgangs.Thereasonblackgangsbecameso

prominentduringthesixtieshadtodowithwhiteflight,unemployment,poverty,and

segregation.3InanarticlewrittenbyHagedorntitledRaceNotSpaceheexpandedon

thisissuebywriting,Lawndale,aformerlyGermanandJewisharea,begantorentand

selltothenewblackmigrants.Astheblackpopulationincreased,manywhiteresidents

fled,whileothersbecameabsenteelandlords.4Withwhitesmovingoutofthearea,

gangsbegantoexpandintonewterritory.Insteadofhavingcontrolofonlyasmallstreet,

gangscouldnowcontrolmultipleneighborhoods.Povertyandunemploymentfurther

contributedtotheriseofblackgangsamongurbanblacks.Youthswhohadtolivein

theseconditionsbecametheprimarysourceofgangrecruitment.Theissuessurrounding

publichousinginChicagohelpedfacilitatethegrowthofblackgangsintheseareas.As

moreandmoreblacksmovedtoChicagotheneedforpublichousingexpanded.Todeal

3 John Hagedorn. "Race Not Space: A Revisionist History of Gangs in Chicago."

Journal of African American History 91, no. 2 (2006), 201
4 Hagedorn.201
 5

withthegrowinghousingpublichousingcrisis,cityofficialsdevelopedaplanthatwould

suittheirowninterests.Theseinterestsincludedseparatingthegrowingtheblack

populationfromthewhites.Hagedornwrote,Thedecisionwasmadetousepublic

housingtocontain,concentrate,andcontinuetosegregateChicago'sblackpopulation.5

AccordingtoHagedornsresearch,thereisadirectcorrelationbetweenthecontinued

segregationofblacksandtheriseofblackgangs.Allofthesefactorswouldcome

togethertocreateanenvironmentwheretheBlackstoneRangerscouldthrive.

WhentheBlackstoneRangersfirststartedouttheywereinafiercerivalrywith

theDevilsDisciples.BothgangswerecenteredaroundtheWoodlawnarea,withthe

RangersontheSouthsideandtheDisciplescenteredintheEastsideofWoodlawnin

Englewood.Thewarbetweenthegangslargelyhappenedduetothegrowinginfluence

andexpansionofbothgangsintheWoodlawnarea.Theearliestconflictscenteredon

controllingterritoryinWoodlawn.Theseconflictsresultedinalloutstreetwarfareover

eachgangsturfTheDevilsDisciples,whowerealsoknownastheBlackDisciplesor

theDisciples,werealsobasedintheSouthSideofChicagoundertheleadershipofDavid

Barksdale.TheDevilsDisciples,alongwiththeViceLords,agangthatwaslocatedin

theLawndaleareaofChicago,playedaroleintheChicagoFreedommovementandthe

BlackPowermovement.

TheRangersshiftfromgangwarfaretocommunityoutreachoccurredbetween

theyearsof1965and1966.ItwasduringthistimethattheRangersbegantoorganize

intoamorecohesiveforce.Itwasalsoduringthistimethattwoprominentorganizations

withintheWoodlawncommunitybegantoreachouttotheRangers.Thefirstgroupto

5 Hagedorn. 201
 6

reallybegintoreachouttotheRangerswastheFirstPresbyterianChurchofWoodlawn,

ledbyReverendJohnR.Fry.ThesecondorganizationthatreachedouttotheRangers

wasTheWoodlawnOrganization,orTWO.Thisgroupwasdedicatedtocommunity

outreachintheWoodlawnarea.Bothoftheseorganizationsplayedamajorrolein

turningtheRangersfromviolencetocommunityoutreach.Itwasthesegroupsthat

developedprogramsinordertoshifttheRangersawayfromviolence.However,while

bothorganizationswereimportant,therewasanotherfactorthatwouldaffecttheroleof

theRangersintheCivilRightsandBlackPowerMovements.Thisthirdfactorwasthe

gangsabilitytoorganizeduetoasuddeninfluxofnewrecruits.Thesefactorsallowed

theRangersexpandfromasmallgroupinthelate50stoarapidlyexpandingganginthe

60s.

Beginningwiththeirinception1959theBlackstoneRangerswereengagedin

streetbattleswithrivalgangsmainly,theDevilsDisciples.However,thingsbeganto

changein1965.TheRangersshiftedtheirfocusawayfromthestreetviolenceandbegan

workingonorganization.TheshiftoccurredwasmainlyduetothearrivalofReverend

JohnFryinWoodlawn.ThroughtheoutreacheffortsofChuckLaPagila,whowasa

memberofthechurch,FrybegantoengagewiththeRangers.ReverendFrywantedto

helpshapetheRangersintoapoliticalyouthorganization.ItwasFry,beforeanyoneelse,

whorecognizedtheRangerspotentialtobeapoliticalorganizationiftheydirectedtheir

energiesinamorepositivedirection.Inanefforttofosterbetterrelationsbetweenthe

churchandtheRangers,FrybegantoallowtheRangerstomakeuseofthechurchasa

spaceforthemtogatherasagroup.Understandably,tryingtoformarelationship
 7

betweenthechurchandtheRangershaditsshareofdifficulties.InReverendFrysbook,

FireandBlackstone,ReverendFrydescribedthecommunitiesreactiontothechurch

workingwiththeRangersbysaying,Pleaseunderstand.TheBlackstoneRangershada

terriblereputation.AlmostwithoutexceptionWoodlawnresidentshatedandfearedthem.

Theorganizationwasknowntobearmedandquicktousefirearmsandotherinstruments

ofviolence.WoodlawnresidentsthusbelievedtheChurchmustatleastbesanctioning

andevenparticipatingintheseactivities.6Despitethecommunitysuneasinessoverthe

situationwiththeRangers,itdoesseemasthoughReverendFrywasabletosteerthe

Rangerstowardsamorepositivedirection.

Eventually,thechurchbecamethedefactoheadquartersoftheBlackstone

Rangers.ItwashereunderthetutelageoftheReverendJohnFrythattheBlackstone

Rangersbegantoorganizetheirgangintooneofthemostinfluentialorganizationson

ChicagosSouthSide.Inthisrespect,theBlackstoneRangerswereunique.Unlikemany

othergangs,theBlackstoneRangershadastrongcentralchainofcommandthatallowed

themtoactinconcert.Theyachievedthisorganizationbyincorporatingthesmaller

gangsthathadjoinedupwiththemdirectlyintotheoverallRangercommandstructure.

SohowdidtheysuccessfullyincorporatethesevariousothergangsintotheRangersso

well?TheyachievedthisbyformingwhattheRangerscalledtheMain21.TheMain21

wasessentiallythegoverningbodyoftheBlackstoneRangers.Itincludedallofthegang

leaderswhohadjoinedupwiththeRangersintheearlysixtiesanditwaspresidedover

byEugeneHairstonandJeffFort.TheMain21hadtwoverydistinctrolesthathelped

6 John R. Fry. Fire and Blackstone. 1st ed. (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1969), 8
 8

organizetheRangersintooneofthemostorganizedgangsofitstime.Thefirstroleof

theMain21wastomakedecisionsforthegangasawhole.ThesecondroleoftheMain

21wasthatthegangleaderswhojoinedtheRangersstillhadcontroloftheirgangsday

todayoperations.7By1966theybecamewhatJohnHallFishdescribedas,a

supergang.8Unlikemanyblackgangs,theRangershadriseninnumberswhilestill

maintainingtheircommandstructure.ShortlyaftertheformationoftheMain21the

BlackstoneRangersrenamedthemselvesastheBlackP.Stones.Theirrisefromalowly

neighborhoodstreetgangmadeupofonlyafewmemberstoanorganizedgangof3000

membersbroughtthemalotofattentionfromboththelocalandnationallevel.

However,whilethegangwasindeedgrowingatanalarmingrateinsuchashort

amountoftime.ItshouldbenotedthatReverendFryseffortstoreformthegangintoa

powerfulyouthorganizationworkedbetterthanwhatmanyatthetimethought.Astime

wenton,ReverendFrybegantohaveadifferentvisionfortheBlackPStones.His

objectivewastoreduceteenageviolence.HehopedthatbyhelpingtheStonesestablish

relationshipswithotherSouthSideinstitutionsandintroducingtheStonestopolitical,

social,andeconomicopportunitiesthiscouldhappen.9UnderReverendFrysguidance,

theStonesbegantakingmeasurestodisarmthemselvesoftheirweapons.Underthe

watchfuleyeofpoliceforces,theRangersturnedinover40oftheirweaponstothe

church.Theweaponsthatwerebroughtinwerethenstoredinsideofthechurchina

7 Moore and Williams. The Almighty Black P Stone Nation The Rise,
Fall, and Resurgence of an American Gang. 34-35
8 John Hall, Fish. 1973. Black power/white control; the struggle of the
Woodlawn Organization in Chicago. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University
Press. 118
9 Moore and Williams. 52
 9

lockedvault.10TheRangersalsobegantakingmeasurestolimitcontactwiththeDevil

Disciplessoastoavoidmoreviolenceinthestreets.Howeveroneofthemosttelling

signsthatReverendFrywasstartingtobesuccessfulinhismissionoccurredwhenthe

Rangersbegantotakethefirststepstowardtryingtosolvetheproblemsinthestreets.

TheydidthisbypicketingtheWaronPovertyoffice,alsoknownastheOfficeof

EconomicOpportunity(OEO)andagainwhentheyrequestedtobeincludedinanoutof

townpicnictoavoidconfrontationwithothergangsduringtheBudBillikensDay

Parade.11BothoftheseactionsstartedtheRangersonthepathofbecomingalegitimate

youthorganization.

Oneofthemosttellingsignsoftheirpotentialtobeapowerfulforcefornotonly

thecommunity,butforalsoblacksacrossthenationoccurredwhennotedCivilRights

activistJamesBevelcametoWoodlawnmeetwiththemin1966.Bevelwasaprominent

memberoftheSouthernChristianLeadershipConference(SCLC)thatwasledbyMartin

LutherKingJr.ThiswasanattemptbytheSCLCtoorganizethegangsinChicagoand

redirecttheireffortsintohelpingwhatwouldsoonbecomeofficiallyknownasthe

ChicagoFreedomMovement.Tothisend,BevelpleadedwiththeRangerstogiveup

violenceasameanstoincreasetheirinfluenceinthestreets.Heevenshowedthemafilm

thatdetailedtheeventsoftheWattsriots.12TheWattsriotsoccurredin1965inWatts

California.Theriotwassparkedbyongoingpolicebrutality,unemploymentandhousing.

TheRangersshowedalargeamountofindifferencetoBevelspresentation.Whilethisis

10Moore and Williams. 123-124.

11 Fry. 7
12 Fry. 5
 10

certainlynotwhatBevelortheSCLChadhopedfor,itdidnotmeanthattheycouldnot

usetheStonesduringtheChicagoFreedomMovement.

TheroleoftheWoodlawnOrganizationwasanotherimportantpiecetotheBlack

PStonesinfluenceontheChicagoFreedomMovement.DueinparttoReverendFry,as

wellastheirgrowinginfluenceinthestreets,theBlackstoneRangersbeganarelationship

withtheWoodlawnOrganizationin1966.TheWoodlawnOrganizationwasmoreofa

grassrootsCivilRightsgroup.ThisexplainshowtheStoneswereabletogainsomeof

theirpoliticalinfluencewhileworkingwiththisorganization.Itcanalsobesaidthatat

thetimetheStoneswereinvolvedwiththeWoodlawnOrganization,theChicago

FreedomMovementwasstarting.Therefore,theWoodlawnOrganizationmanagedto

helptheminfluencetheChicagoFreedomMovement.TheWoodlawnOrganizationhad

existedasvariousdifferentorganizationsinthefiftiesbeforeformingintotheWoodlawn

Organizationin1961.TheWoodlawnOrganizationwaswellawareoftheexistenceof

boththeBlackPStonesandtheDevilsDisciples.Thisisduetotheorganizations

acceptanceasaspokespersonfortheconcernsoftheresidentsofWoodlawn.Itishardto

imaginethattheescalatingviolencebetweenthetwogangswouldescapetheirnotice.13

Nevertheless,itwouldnotbeuntilthemid60sthattheWoodlawnorganization

wouldrecognizethepotentialusesforthegangstobevoicesfortheircommunity.The

WoodlawnOrganization,uponrecognizingtherapidgrowthoftheRangersinthemid

sixties,aswellasthecommunitiesincreasingfearoftheStones,immediatelybegan

workingtoestablishtocontactwiththem.However,therewasverylittleurgencybythe

13 Fish. 118
 11

WoodlawnOrganizationtotryandeasethetensionsinthecommunity,asthe

organizationdidnotwanttoalienateoldercommunitymembers.14

TheWoodlawnOrganizationeventuallydecidedtoteamupwithReverendFry

andtheFirstPresbyterianChurchtotryandfigureouthowtohandletheissueofthe

BlackstoneRangers.Theywentaboutthisbyfirsthiringstaffmemberstoworkwithand

helpReverendFry,aswellascontactingtheOfficeofEconomicOpportunity(OEO)to

pursuefundingforanewprojectthatwasaimedathelpingtheyouthcommunitygain

jobs.15TheOEOwasaninitiativetoimplementmanyoftheWaronPovertysprograms.

Thisprojectwouldeventuallybecomeoneofthedefiningmomentsinthehistoryofthe

BlackPStones.Eventually,astensionscontinuedtorisebetweenthepoliceandthe

Stones,theWoodlawnOrganizationbegantoworkonaproposaltosendtotheFederal

Government.Inordertogetthefundingtheorganizationwouldhavetobringanendto

theviolencebetweentheStonesandtheDisciples.Surprisingly,theymanagedto

hammeroutthemosteffectivepeacetreatybetweentheStonesandDisciples.Withthis

hurdlecleared,allthatwasleftwasfortheWoodlawnOrganizationtohammeroutthe

finalproposalwiththeOfficeofEconomicOpportunity.16

OnMay31,1967,TWOreceivednearlyonemilliondollarsfromtheOEOtorun

ajobtrainingprogram.17Duetothedrasticinfluxofmoney,theRangersbegantotakea

moreactiveroleinimprovingtheircommunity.AccordingtotheSarasotaJournalthe

purposeoftheOEOgrantwastoprovideassistanceinbasiceducationandjobtraining

14 Fish. 126
15 Fish. 127
16 Fish.138
17Fry.12
 12

forgangmembers.18InordertoincentivizetheRangerstoparticipateintheprogram,the

WoodlawnOrganizationalsosecuredafiftythousanddollargrantfromtheKettering

FoundationinordertoallowtheRangerstimetodevelopprogramsandfundthem.19The

Ketteringfoundationwasfoundedasawaytobenefithumanitythroughscienceand

democracy.20WiththismoneytheRangerswereabletoparticipateinseveralprojects

thatweredesignedtohelpthemgivebacktothecommunity.Theseprogramsincluded

jobtraining,production,plays,andcommunitywork.However,manycityofficials

opposedthesuddeninfluxofcashtoanotoriousgang.Oneofthemainreasonsforthis

oppositionwasduetothefactthatthemoneythatwasgiventoTheWoodlawn

Organizationlackedanyandallgovernmentoversight.Needlesstosaythiscausedmany

governmentorganizationsaswellasMayorRichardDaleytoopenlydiscreditthe

program.21

TheChicagoFreedomMovementwasverydifferentfromwhatisnowviewedas

thetraditionalCivilRightsMovementintheSouth.Themovementwaslargelyinspired

inthewakeoftheriotsthatbrokeoutinWattsin1965.TheWattsriotsforcedCivil

RightsleaderstoshiftfromtheneedsofblacksintheSouthtotheneedsofthoseinthe

North.OneofthemaindifferencesbetweentheChicagoFreedomMovementandthe

CivilRightsMovementoftheSouthwasthatCivilRightsleaderswerenowtryingto

18SarasotaJournal."SarasotaJournal."news.google.com.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?
nid=1798&dat=19680626&id=kkQgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JIwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7128,346
0805(accessedApril8,2014).
19Fry.13
20"KetteringFoundation."KetteringFoundationRSS.http://kettering.org(accessed
April11,2014).
21 Fish 143
 13

fightagainstpoverty,defactosegregation,unfairhousing,andunequalemployment.

Thiswasafarcryfromfightingsegregationthatwassignedintolaw.Thebiggest

problemfacingblacksintheNorthwastheuseofdefactosegregation.Defacto

segregationisaformofsegregationthatisnotplacedintolaw.Itismostlydrivenbythe

attitudesofthewhitemajority.Defactosegregationwasalsoemployedinthejobmarket

resultinginalowernumberofblackstobehiredbynumerousbusinesses.Bothunfair

housingpracticesalongwithdiscriminationinthejobmarketcontributedheavilytoblack

poverty.Thesefactorswouldpresentanoticeablydifferentchallengeforamovement

thathadlargelyfoughtagainstlegaldiscriminationintheSouth.

KingannouncedthestartoftheChicagoFreedomMovementin1966.Itvery

quicklybecameapparentthathewantedtoharnesstheblackyouthtohelpwithhis

campaign.AfterKingmovedintotheLawndaleareain1966,hebeganmeetingwith

someofthelocalgangleadersintheLawndaleareaafterathreedayriotbetweenthe

policeandcitizensofLawndale.Inthewakeofthisriot,Kingsetupameetingbetween

theSCLCandlocalgangsinLawndale.AmongthegangsthatKingreachedouttowere

theViceLords,RomanSaints,andtheCobras.22Thesemeetingshadadualpurpose;on

onehand,Kingdidwanttoendtheviolencecausedbygangmembers.Ontheotherhand

Kingunderstoodthevaluethatthesegangscouldbringtohismovement.DavidLewis,

authorofKing:ABiography,describedthemeetingbetweenKingandthegangleaders:

Martinlistenedpatientlytoafourhouroutpouringofantiwhite,anticityhall

vituperation,allowedthatheunderstoodtheirindignation,andpersuadedtheyouth

22 David L. Lewis. King: A Biography. Urbana: University of Illinois Press,

1978. 336
 14

leaderstoagreetotrynonviolenceexperimentally.Itwastobeanexperimentofbrief

duration.23Thistacticofmeetingwiththegangleadersandmembersseemedtoworkfor

King.KingusedthesamethesameapproachwhentryingtosteertheBlackstoneRangers

towardsnonviolence.Forallintentsandpurposes,thisapproachseemedtowork.Many

ofthelargerandmorevisiblegangswouldrefrainfromviolenceandbecomeactive

participantsintheChicagoFreedomMovement.

SohowdotheBlackstoneRangersfitintothenarrativeoftheChicagoFreedom

Movement?Theeasyanswerwouldbetojustsaythattheyshoweduptoafewmarches.

However,thatwoulddiminishsomeoftheirmostinfluentialworksduringtheChicago

FreedomMovement.Accordingtoseveralsources,theRangerswerefirstsightedat

KingsrallyatSoldierFieldin1966.Whiletheywerenotinsupportofnonviolencethey

didaddnumberstothemarchoncityhall.Itisalsoimportanttonotethataccordingto

thesesourcesthattheywereactivelychantingBlackPower24.Thisshouldbe

unsurprisingasBlackNationalismfitwiththeirvaluesmorethanthenonviolenceofthe

CivilRightsMovement.Thistopicwillbecoveredindepthlater.Aftermakingitknown

thatsomeoftheirnumberintendedtobeaforcefortheChicagoFreedomMovement,

theirinvolvementonlyincreased.InadditiontotakingpartintherallyatSoldierField,

theRangerstookpartinvariousmarchesthroughoutthecity.Oneofthemoreprominent

marchestheywereinvolvedinwastheinfamousmarchonMarquettePark.Reportedly

theBlackstoneRangersactedasbodyguardsforKingafterhewasfelledbyabrick.25

23 Lewis. 336
24 LiamT.A.Ford.SoldierFieldastadiumanditscity.Chicago:UniversityofChicago
Press,2009.210;Moore and Williams. 41
25 Hagedorn. 202
 15

Thattheydidnotrespondviolentlytothiswasatestamenttotheirrestraint.Gang

membersalsofeaturedprominentlyintheOpenHousingmarchesin1966.Dr.King

remembered,IrememberwalkingwiththeBlackstoneRangers[oneoftheWoodlawn

areasmostnotoriousgangs]whilebottleswereflyingfromthesidelines,andIsawtheir

nosesbeingbrokenandbloodflowingfromtheirwounds;andIsawthemcontinueand

notretaliate,notoneofthem,withviolence.26

AfterKingleftChicagoin1967,theStonescontinuedtomakeanimpactinthe

blackcommunity.EventhoughtheChicagoFreedommovementhadended,theRangers

continuedtogrowininfluencethroughouttheSouthSide.Oneexampleoftheirgrowing

influencesurroundedtheeventsofthe1968Presidentialelection.In1967,theStones

organizedanovotecampaignacrossthesouthsideofChicagoduringthePresidential

electionbetweentheRepublicancandidateRichardNixonandDemocraticcandidate

HubertHumphrey.27ThemembersoftheBlackP.Stonessawthecampaignasasuccess

asRichardNixonwaselectedovertheHubertHumphrey.Thelessonsofnonviolence

thattheyhadlearnedfromKingalsoseemedtobepayingoffafterhisassassinationin

1968.AfterhisdeathmanycreditedtheStonesasbeingtheoneswhoencouragedpeace

intheWoodlawnarea.InsteadofreactingviolentlytheStoneswouldbeapartofa

peacefuldemonstrationoutsideoftheUniversityofChicago.28

26 PovertyandRaceResearchActionCouncil.""LaunchingtheNationalFairHousing
Debate:ACloserLookatthe1966ChicagoFreedomMovement."prrac.com.
http://www.prrac.org/full_text.php?
text_id=1047&item_id=9645&newsletter_id=0&header=Current+Projects(accessed
April8,2014).
27 JamesMcPherson."Chicago'sBlackstoneRangersII."TheAtlanticMonthly,May1,
1969.93
28MooreandWilliams.82
 16

ThecommonthemeoftheChicagoFreedomMovementisthattheRangerswere

amajorpartofOperationBreadbasket.OperationBreadbasketwasanothermovementin

ChicagothatwasheadedupbyReverendJesseJackson.Thegoaloftheoperationwasto

targetbusinessesthatdidnotemployorunderemployedblacks.Thegoalwastogetthe

companyeithertonegotiatewiththeprotestorsortostageaboycottofthestoreor

companyuntiltheywereforcedtocometothebargainingtable.Accordingtoseveral

sourcessuchas,UpAgainstTheWallandShakedown:exposingtherealJesseJackson,

theBlackPStonessupportedthismovementintwoextremelydifferentways.Thefirst

waytheysupportedthemovementwasthroughparticipatingintheboycottsandthe

picketlines.Somesourcesallegedtheyevenworkedwithotherlargegangssuchasthe

ViceLordsandtheBlackDisciplestopicketandboycottbusinesses.29Accordingto

Hagedorn,whowroteajournalarticleonthesubject,Thethreemajorgangs"Lords,

Stones,andDisciples"or"LSD"formedacoalitionto"takeChicagoonatrip"and

fightforjobsandcivilrights.C.T.Vivian,JesseJackson,landothercivilrightsleaders

workedwiththegangsintheircampaignforjobsintheconstructionindustry,thoughthe

alliancewastenuousatbest.30Thiscoalitionwasformedin1969andwasinstrumental

inhelpingJacksonmakeOperationBreadbasketsuccessful.Someoftheirmostnotable

effortsincluded:haltingconstructionworkat the WoodlawnYWCA,Woodlawn

Gardens,MaddenParkHomes,andthenewDr.MartinLutherKingHighSchool,

membersoftheStonesstagedasitininsideoftheBuildingTradesUnionsCouncil,the

29 Curtis J. Austin. 2006. Up against the wall: violence in the making and
unmaking of the Black Panther Party. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas
Press. 200; Kenneth R. Timmerman. 2002. Shakedown: exposing the
real Jesse Jackson. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Pub. 27
30Hagedorn.202
 17

StonesalsohaltedconstructionworkattheUniversityofIllinois.31Becauseofthelarge

numbersofprotestors,manyofthebusinesseshadnochoicebuttocometothe

bargainingtable.Theinfluenceofthestreetgangsinvolvedintheboycottshelpedmake

itpossibletobringenoughpressureonthecompaniestargetedbyOperationBreadbasket.

However,accordingtoKenTimmerman,theBlackstoneRangersplayedafar

moresinisterroleinthemovement.InTimmermansbook,ShakedownExposingthe

RealJesseJackson,heallegedthattheRangerswereactuallyextortingthebusinesses

thatweretargetedduringOperationBreadbasket.Theexamplehegivesinvolvedalocal

grocerystorecalledRedRooster.Timmermansays,RedRoostermanagement

eventuallycaved.ThepriceofJacksonsboycottwasunusual:hedemandedthatthe

companypaditspayrollbyhiringtwentytwomembersoftheBlackStoneRangers.32

WhiletheideaoftheRangersusingextortionasamethodtogaincontroloverbusinesses

isnotfarfetched,TimmermansassertionthatJesseJacksonwassoinvolvedwiththe

Rangersthathewouldboycottabusinesswiththesoleintentofforcingthemtohiregang

membersdoesnotseemtoringtrue.ThisisbecausethatwhileJeffFortandJesse

Jacksonmayhaveknownoneanother,thereislittletonoevidencebeyondaphotograph

thatsuggestedtheirrelationshipwasaparticularlycloseone.Alsotheextortionracket

couldhaveledtotensionsintheLSDcoalition.Hadthisextortionactuallyoccurredthe

coalitionwouldinalllikelihoodbrokenupasthiscouldbeseenastheRangerstryingto

increasetheircontrolandinfluenceinthestreets.Conversely,italsocouldbesaidthatif

therewasactuallyanextortionracketoccurringthattheRangersalongwiththeDisciples

31Panagopoulos,Angeliki."LSD:gangsandUIC."LSD:gangsandUIC.N.p.,n.d.
Web.8Apr.2014.<http://gangresearch.net/ChicagoGangs/lsd/lsd.htm>.
32Timmerman.27
 18

andtheViceLordswouldhavebeeninvolvedaswell.Itsduetothesereasonsthatthe

supposedextortionracketseemstoholdverylittlemerit.

However,OperationBreadbasketwouldnotbethelasttimetheywouldjoinup

withtheJesseJackson.InUpAgainstTheWallAustinassertedthattheBlackstone

RangerswerethekeybehindseveralofJesseJacksonsplannedmovements,goingsofar

toimplythatwithoutthemthesemovementswouldhavefailedmiserably.

ForexampletheyaccompaniedactivistReverendJesseJacksonandHisPeople
UnitedtoSaveHumanitygroupwhentheyblockedconstructionsitesonthe
SouthSideAftercompaniesrefusedtohireblacks.AftertheRangersshowedup
blacksreceivedjobs.TheSamethingoccurredduringaconstructionprojectat
TheUniversityofChicagocampus.WhenJacksontriedtobackoffandavoid
confrontationwithwhiteworkers,Rangers,bythencalledtheBlackP.Stone
Nation,preventedJacksonFromLeavingandforcedhimtofollowthroughwith
theaction.Onceagain,blacksreceivedconstructionjobs.33

SodidtheRangersandbyextensionanyotherstreetgangsmakeanimpactonthe

ChicagoFreedomMovement?Well,theanswerisbothyesandno.Firstoff,theRangers

andotherlargegangs,suchastheBlackDisciples,madeanimpactduetotheirabilityto

bringinlargenumberofmemberstomarchesandrallies.Italsoseemedthatthereability

tobringinlargenumbersofblackyouthservedthemwellwhentheyparticipatedin

boycotts.Whetherornottheyengagedinunderhandedtacticsuchasextortion,

intimidation,orthreatsofviolenceagainstanyofthebusinessesduringOperation

Breadbasketisnotasclear.However,itneedstobeunderstoodthatwhileprojectssuch

asOperationBreadbasketwereasuccess.TheChicagoFreedommovementasawhole

didlittletomakelastingchanges.MayorDaleyandtheracistsentimentthatpervadedthe

whiteneighborhoodsofChicagoprovedtoomuchfortheleadersoftheChicago

33Austin.200
 19

FreedomMovementtohandle.KingandotherCivilRightsleaderscalledasummitwith

MayorDaleyonAugust26,1966.However,theagreementthatcameoutofthesummit

meetingfailedtoquicklyimplementtheproposedchanges.Thelackofadeadlineforthe

changesaswellastherebeinglittletonoevidencethatcityofficialswouldactually

implementthesechanges.Ledmanytobelievethatthiswasafailedmovement.While

thisfailurecannotbeblamedonanyoneindividualpersonorgroup.Itdoesnotdiminish

theinfluenceandpowerofgangsduringtheChicagoFreedomMovement.Whilethey

wereunabletohelptheoverallsuccessofthemovement,tosaytheyhadabsolutelyno

impactwouldbewrong.Whatisimportanttorememberisthatlargegangssuchasthe

RangersandtheBlackDisciplesbroughtwiththemalargegroupoforganizedyouthwho

werelargelyunafraidofconflict.Theseyouthswereabletobringalargelypositive

impacttotheChicagoFreedomMovement.

WhiletheChicagoFreedomMovementmayhavenotbeenasuccess,itdidopen

thedoorfortheBlackPantherPartytotakecenterstageinChicagointhelatesixties.

TheperceivedfailureoftheChicagoFreedomMovementcontributedtomanyturning

towardsBlackPowerMovementstoofferasolutiontonortherninequality.TheVietnam

WaralsocontributedtotheriseofBlackNationalismintheNortherncities.Theman

whowouldbecomethesymboloftheblackpowermovementwasFredHampton.Fred

HamptonisthekeytounderstandingtheimpactthatthegangsofChicagohadonthe

BlackPowerMovement.However,thisimpactmaynothavebeenthekindthatpeople

expected.TounderstandtheimpactofgangsliketheBlackP.Stonesontheblackpower

movement,itisnecessarytotalkabouttheJEdgarHooverandtheroleoftheFBIin
 20

Chicago.TheFBIendedplayingadirectrolenotonlyinChicagobutalso,acrossthe

entirecountry.ThecausesofthisaggressionstemmedfromboththeFredHamptonand

theChicagobasedBlackPantherPartyandtheirdesiretoformacoalitionwiththelarge

numbersofgangsthatcontrolledthestreets.BecauseofthisattemptedcoalitiontheFBI

gotinvolvedandeffectivelyendedtheBlackPowerMovementinChicago.Whatisvery

importanttonoteisthattheStonesinfluenceontheBlackPowerMovementisdefined

morebytheeffortsoftheFBIandpoliceattemptingtotakedowntheirorganizationthan

bytheactualcooperationbetweenthetwoorganizations.34

ThefirstthingtoaddresswhentalkingabouttheroleofgangssuchastheBlacksP.

StonesontheBlackPowermovementistheriseofFredHamptontoaleadershiprolein

theChicagochapteroftheBlackPanthers.FredHamptonwasbornonAugust301948,

inthesouthwestareaofChicago.ManyprominentblackleaderssuchasMarcusGarvey,

MalcolmX,andW.E.BDuboisinspiredHampton.35Evenatayoungagehisabilityto

speak,hisknowledge,andtheabilitytomobilizeandorganizeotherswouldservetohelp

himbecomeanactivistasearlyashishighschoolyears.Amongsomeofthevarious

examplesofhisactivistleaningsinvolvedcampaigningfortheinclusionofmoreblack

teachersintheschoolsystem,astudentorganizedboycottduetothefactthatonlywhite

girlswerenominatedforhomecomingqueen,andaseatonastudentcouncilthatdealt

withracialissues.CharlesAnderson,aformerdeanatHamptonshighschool,hadthisto

sayabouthisefforts,FredwasthereasonIwashiredatProvisoEastHighSchoolas

34Austin.200
35Jeffrey Haas.2010.TheassassinationofFredHamptonhowtheFBIandthe
ChicagopolicemurderedaBlackPanther.Chicago,Ill.:LawrenceHillBooks/Chicago
ReviewPress,2010.18
 21

deaninchargeofattendance,hesaid,Untilthattime,Ihadbeenapplyingforsixyears

andneverhadbeengivenaninterview.36Hamptonwassowellregardedthatthe

teachersreliedonhimtohelpcalmtensionsbetweentheblackandwhitestudentsofthe

school.Eventually,Fredsactionsandleadershipbothatschoolandhiscommunity

earnedtheattentionoftheNAACPwhoofferedhimajob.Thiswouldofficiallymarkthe

beginningofhiscareerasanactivist.

However,HamptonstimewiththeNAACPwouldeventuallycometoanenddue

totheadventoftheVietnamWar.Unlikemanyinthemainstreamorganizations,

Hamptonwasferventlyopposedtothewar.Hamptonwouldthengoontosaythat,he

wasnotjustforPeaceinVietnam,butVictoryinVietnamfortheVietnamese.37

ThisattitudewouldleadHamptononhisjourneyintothegrowingBlackPower

Movement.HamptonwasrecruitedtojointhenewlyformedChicagochapterofthe

BlackPantherPartyin1968.Fromtherehequicklyrosethroughtherankstobecomeits

leader.Hamptonbeganorganizingmanyoutreachprogramsforthecommunity.Probably

themostprominentprogramwasafreebreakfastprogramforschoolagedkids.This

programwouldeventuallyexpandtoseveraldifferentareasacrossthecity.

HamptondevelopedRainbowCoalition,hisplanwastoincorporateallofthe

streetgangsofChicago,regardlessofrace,intotheBlackPantherParty.Thiswasafirst

forthePanthersorganization,asnoneoftheotherbranchesofPantherswentoutto

recruitentiregangsintotheirranks.Onthesurfacethisseemedlikeaverywellthought

outidea.Forone,ifheweretobesuccessfulinconvincingthegangstojoinhimhe

36 Haas. 19
37Haas. 27
 22

woulddrasticallyincreasethenumberofPanthersinChicago.However,thiswasnotthe

onlyadvantagetoreachingouttothegangs.GangsalsoofferedtheopportunityforBlack

Pantherstomovefreelythroughgangcontrolledterritory.Itwasalsonosecretthe

northernblackyouthwerebecomingmoreandmoreinfluencedbytheBlackPower

Movement,especiallyinthefaceoftheVietnamWar.Hamptonwastednotimetryingto

makepeacewithvariousgangleadersaroundthecity.In1969,Hamptonwasableto

securepeacewiththeBlackDisciples,themainrivalsoftheBlackP.Stones.Thiswasa

veryfavorableoutcomeforHamptonandthePanthersastheyhadmanagedtoaddoneof

thelargestgangsintheChicagototheirmovement.Oneofthereasonsgivenforthe

BlackDisciplesbeingsowillingtojoinwiththePanthershadtodowithpolicebrutality.

Austinsays,Theytoohadbeenvictimsofpolicebrutalityandtheirpublicoutcries

againstpoliceheavyhandednesswentunheardbyauthorities.38

HamptonwasevenabletoconvinceaPuertoRicangangcalledtheYoungLords

tojoinhismovement.ThemergingoftheYoungLordsandtheBlackPanthersisan

interestingcase.Forone,thismergershowedthatHamptonwaswillingtoincludeall

racebasedgangsinhisRainbowcoalition.Thesecondreasonwhythismergerwas

interestingwasbecauseofthesimilaritiesthatemergedbetweenthetwogroups.Afterthe

alliancewasformedtheYoungLordsbegantakingonmanycharacteristicsoftheBlack

Panthers.TheybegantoemulatemanyofthePanthersoutreachprogramsdirected

towardsthePuertoRicancommunity.Anexampleofonetheprogramstheyemulated

wasthePanthersFreeBreakfastProgram.39Howeverevenanalliancebetweenthe

38 Austin. 198
39 Haas. 44-45
 23

Disciples,YoungLordsandPanthersdidnotaffecttheBlackPowerMovementasmuch

asthenewlyrenamedBlackPStones.

HamptonshowedaparticularinterestintryingtoformacoalitionwiththeStones.

ForonetheStoneswereheavilyinvolvedwithlocalcommunityprojectsthroughthe

WoodlawnOrganization.TheyalsowerethelargestandmostorganizedganginChicago

atthetime.HowevertherewasonereasoninparticularthatdroveHamptontoactively

courttheStones.IftheBlackP.StoneswereincorporatedintotheBlackPantherParty,

HamptonwouldbeabletoconsolidatealloftheothergangsinChicago.However,

HamptonsplantoaddtheStonesintohiscoalitiondidnotgoassmoothlyashemight

haveimagined.Thesenegotiationsbetweenthetwogroupsalmostledtoalloutopen

warfarebetweenthePanthersandtheRangers.Thequestioniswasthisconflictdueto

theinherentdifferencesbetweenthetwogroupsorweretheyinfluencedbyoutside

forces?

ItisimportanttonotethemanysimilaritiesbetweentheStonesandthePanthers.

TheBlackP.StonessharedwithboththeDisciplesandPanthersastrongsenseofBlack

Nationalism.ThefactthatBlackNationalisminfluencedStonesisevidentintheircolors

ofred,green,and,blackwhicharereminiscentofthecolorsofMarcusGarveys

movement.InMcPhersonsarticleChicagosBlackstoneRangers,hedescribedthe

Rangerstakeonblackpowerbysaying,Iftheybelieveinanyformofblackpowerat

all,it'sthephysicalenergywhichtheyareattemptingtoharnessintheblackcommunity

andtheeconomicpowerwhich,theybelieve,willcomethroughconstructiveusesofthat

energy.40ItisalsoverywellknownthattheStonessharedthePanthersdistrustofthe

40 McPherson.96
 24

policeforce.Bothgroupsfeltthattheauthoritieshadunfairlytargetedthemsincetheir

inception.Allofthesefactorswouldleadonetobelievethatanalliancebetweenthe

PanthersandtheRangerswouldbeeasilyformed.However,thiswouldnotbethecase.

InfactanalliancebetweentheRangersandthePantherswasfraughtwithdifficulties.

Oneofthemainproblemsbetweenthesetwogroupsrevolvedaroundeachsidewanting

theothertojointhem.Bothsidesvaluedtheothersnumbersandorganizationand

wantedtoaddthosestrengthstotheirown.Becauseofthis,thesemeetingsusually

devolvedintoashowofforcebyeitherside.Haasdescribedthescene;Onefacetoface

meetingtookplaceattheRangersheadquartersinChicagosWoodlawnneighborhood.

FredandseveralotherarmedPantherswenttothemeetingbutwerequicklysurrounded

bymanybetterarmedRangersincludingJeffFort,theirleaderandotherrepresentatives

oftheMain21.41Themeetingcameveryclosetoeruptingintoanopenconflict

betweenthetwogroups.However,Hamptonmanagedtotalkhiswayoutofthesituation

withoutresortingtoviolence.Bothgroupswenttheirseparatewayswithoutstartingan

alloutwar.However,thetensionbetweenthetwogroupsneverfaded.

ThereasonforthesetensionsstemmedfromnoneotherthantheFBI.WhenFred

HamptonbeganactivelycourtingtheBlackP.Stonestojoinforceswiththeir

organization,theFBItooknotice.AccordingtoanagentinChicago,theFBIsmainfear

wasthat,ThislargeNegroyouthgang[might]developBlackNationalismandalign

themselves[sic]withtheextremistBPP.42TotheFBI,amergerbetweenthePanthers

andtheStonescouldleadtoarevolutionarygroupbentonoverthrowingAmericawithin

41Haas4344
42KennethOReilly.
Racialmatters:theFBI'ssecretfileonBlackAmerica,1960
1972.NewYork:FreePress;1989.303
 25

itsownborders.Muchofthisfearwasinfluencedbythegrowingdiscontentintheblack

communityovertheconflictinVietnam.FearinganarmeduprisingledbythePanthers

andtheStones,theFBIcloselymonitoredthetalksbetweentheStonesandthePanthers.

AsitturnsoutJEdgarHooverhimselfhadavestedinterestinmonitoringtheStones.

ThisbecomesevidentinoneofhisletterswrittentohismenstationedinChicago.

Theyouthgangprobleminyourareaisacute.Itisdifficulttosaywhetheryouth
gangssuchastheBlackstoneRangersorDisciplesareinterestedinracial
militancyormerelyexploitingtheracialsituationfortheimpetusitgivestheir
programsforextortionintheghettos.TheBureaufeelsthatthisareaofyourwork
needsfurtherindepthprobingtodeterminetheyouthgangsinvolvementin
racialmatters.Accordingly,ifyouhavenotalreadydoneso,youshouldopen
casesonyouthgangsinyourareasuchasthosementionedaboveaswellastheir
leaderstoresolvetheextentthatthesegangsandtheirleadersmaybeinvolvedin
racialmilitancy.Theseinvestigationsshouldreceiveyourpromptattentionand
theresultsshouldbesubmittedinformsuitablefordissemination.43

Thisletteronlyservedtoshowthefearofwhatalargeandhighlyorganizedgangcould

doiftheyturnedtoBlackPowerMovement.Therewasalsothefactthatifthegangs

becamepoliticizedthatitwouldaddacertainlegitimacytotheBlackPowerMovement.

Atfirst,itdidnotseemliketherewasmuchtofearfromeithersidejoiningthe

other.ThetalksbetweentheStonesandthePanthershadbrokendownintoeitherside

tryingtointimidatetheotherthroughashowofforce.Thecontinuedmeetingsfailedto

bringaboutanymeaningfulcooperationbetweenthetwogroups.TheFBIthendecided

togetinvolvedtotryandsowseedsofdiscontentbetweentheStonesandthePanthers.In

ordertodrivethetwogroupsapart,theFBIbegansendingletterstotherespectiveleaders

ofthegroupsinordertospreadmistrustamongtheorganizations.

BrotherJeff

43 MooreandWilliams.92
 26

IvespentsometimewithsomePantherfriendsonthewestsidelatelyandIknow
whatsbeengoingon.ThebrothersthatrunthePanthersblameyouforblocking
theirthingandtheressupposedtobeahitoutforyou.ImnotaPanther,ora
Ranger,justblack.FromwhatIsee,thesePanthersareoutforthemselvesnot
blackpeople.Ithinkyououghttoknowwhattheyreupto.IknowwhatIwould
doifIwasyou.Youmighthearfrommeagain.44

ThisisjustoneexampleofthetypesoflettersthattheFBIsenttotheleadersofthe

StonesandthePanthersinordertobringthemintoconflict.However,theseletterswould

nothavethedesiredeffect.However,letterswerenottheonlyweaponavailabletosow

distrustbetweenthePanthersandtheStones.

TheFBIfurthertriedtofueltheviolencebetweentheStonesandtheirlongtime

rivals,theBlackDisciples.Iftheysucceededinthisattempttocauseopenwarfare

betweenthegangs,itwouldalmostcertainlyguaranteethatHamptonsproposedmerger

wouldfail.Inordertoachievethisgoal,theFBIwroteletterstotheStonesandDisciples

muchliketheonesthattheyhadsentouttotheStonesandtheDisciplesinaneffortto

increasetensionsbetweentheStonesandthePanthers.TheFBIalsouseditsconsiderable

resourcestokeeptheStonesunderheavysurveillance.InordertokeeptabsontheStones

theFBIrecruitedStonesasinformants.Thesetacticswerenotjustusedtoencourage

openwarfarebetweentheStonesandtheDisciples.ByencouragingthisviolencetheFBI

feltthattheycouldendthefundingbytheOEO,therebylimitingthegangsassets.The

FBIwaspartiallysuccessfulinitseffortstobringviolencebacktothestreets.After

EugeneBullHairstonwassentencedtoprisonforsolicitingamurder,theviolence

44Austin.205;OReilly.304305
 27

betweentheRangersandDisciplesbrokeoutonceagain.Howeverinaneffortto

preservethefundingfromtheOEOtheStonesandDisciplescalledanuneasytruce.45

ForalloftheinitialanimositybetweentheStones,Panthers,andDisciplesnone

ofthemwantedtogotowarwiththeothers.TheStones,whilestillapowerful

organization,hadtodealwithaninternalcrisisafteritsleaderEugeneHairstonwas

sentencedtoprisononchargeofsolicitingamurder.ThisledtoJeffForttakingoveras

theofficialheadofthegang.TheStonesalsowantedtolimitconflictwiththeDisciples

soasnottoloseaccesstothemoneytheyreceivedfromtheOEO.TheninMayof1969

theworstcasescenariooccurredfortheFBI.46TheStonesalongwiththeBlackDisciples

andthePanthersannouncedatrucebetweenthethreegroups.Thetruceessentiallyended

thepossibilityofastreetwarbetweenthePanthersandStones.However,nonewere

officiallyaffiliatedwiththeother.ThetruceallowedthePantherstoselltheirnewspapers

inStoneterritory.However,thePanthersdecidedagainstthis.Thistrucewasthehigh

pointoftheStonesinvolvementwiththePanthers.Whileitwasnotanoutrightalliance

betweenbothgroups,itdidsignalfuturecollaborationbetweenthem.Thistrucewas

nonethelessimportant,asitwasthefirststeptowardspossiblecooperationbetweenthe

twoorganizations.UnderstandablytheFBIandgovernmentalagencieswerevery

alarmedbythissuddenturnofevents.Duetothetrucebetweenthethreemostpowerful

blackorganizationsinChicago,theFBIdecidedtoincreasetheireffortstodestroythe

Panthersandtheirnewallies.TheFBIbegantothenfocustheentireeffortsofthe

COINTELPROprogramintoachievingthisresult.47

45MooreandWilliams.
46Austin.206
47 Austin. 206-207
 28

ItisimportanttonotethattheCOINTELPROexistedduringtheearlybeginnings

oftheCivilRightsMovementintheSouth.Theprogramwasfirstdesignedtogather

intelligenceonsuspectedcommunistsandcommunistgroupswithintheUnitedStates.

However,theprogramwouldlaterexpandtogoafteravarietyofcommunityagitators.

TheseagitatorsincludedtheKuKluxKlanandtheneventuallyexpandedtoinclude

BlackNationalistgroups.48ManyprominentmembersoftheCivilRightsandBlack

Powermovementswereplacedonthislist,includingMartinLutherKingJr,Stokely

Carmichael,RapBrown,MaxwellStanfordandElijahMuhammad.Essentially,the

COINTELPROwasameansofidentifyingpotentialthreatsandunderminingpotential

threats.FredHamptonwasalsoonthelistofagitators.Soitshouldbenosurprisethatthe

FBIwerealreadykeepinganeyehimandtheChicagochapteroftheBlackPanthers.

However,itwasduetoHamptonsrecruitmentoftheBlackP.StonesthattheFBIbegan

tousethefullweightoftheprogramtobringhimdown.49

AfterfailingtostartagangwarbetweentheStonesandPanthers,theFBIbegan

usinginformantstoinfiltratetheranksoftheBlackPanthersnationwide.Oneofthemost

prominentinformantsfortheFBIwasWilliamONeal.ONealwascoercedinto

becominganFBIinformantafterheandafriendstoleacar.Itwouldnotbelongbefore

hewascontactedbyanFBIagentbythenameofRoyMitchellandaskedtojointhe

Pantherswiththesolepurposeoffindingincriminatingevidenceagainstthem.ONeal

describedhisroleasaninformantandhisrelationshipwithagentMitchellinainterview:

48 "COINTELPRO." FBI. http://vault.fbi.gov/cointel-pro (accessed April 5,

2014).
49 OReilly. 305
 29

Well,IthinkMitchell,therelationshipbetweenIandMitchellconcentratedonthelocal
activities.Wetalkedvery,verylittleaboutwhatwasgoingonnationallyearlyoninthe
game.Lateron,whenBobbySealeandtheguyswouldcometotown,ittookona
nationalscope,butrightthenandtherewewereconcentratedonthelocalchapter.And
lateronIunderstoodthathisthinking,inthatregard.Hewantedmetobuildupsome
credibilitywithintheBlackPantherParty,sohegavemealotofroom,alotofleashat
thatpoint.HeletmebecomeaPantherbeforeIbecameanFBIinformant.50

InadditiontoactingasaspyfortheFBI,ONealwasalsoencouragedtodo

everythingpossibletoinfluencetheBlackPantherstoengageinactsofcriminality.He

wasalsoaskedbyhishandlerstosabotagemanyofthePantherscommunityoutreach

programs.However,ONealdidnotbecomesuchawellknowninformantmerelyby

spyingonthedaytodayactivityofthePanthers.Infact,ONealsismostlyknownfor

hisroleinthedeathsofbothFredHamptonandMarkClark.Inthedaysbeforethedeaths

ofHamptonandClark,itwasfoundoutthatONealhadstolenthefloorplansto

Hamptonsapartmentadaybeforetheapartmentwasraided.Afterhegavetheplansto

theFBI,aspecialpolicetaskforceconductedaraidontheapartmentthenextday.After

allegedlybeingshotatthepoliceunitopenedfireontheapartmentdoor.Overninety

shotswerefiredintotheapartmentleavingFredHamptonandMarkClarkdead.Over

twentypanthersthatwerealsopresentintheapartmentthatnightwerearrested.51The

deathofFredHamptonandMarkClarksparkedcommunityoutrageagainstthepolice

forces.Withmanyprominentmembersofthecommunitycomingforwardinorderto

50 EyesonthePrizeIIInterviews."InterviewwithWilliamO'Neal."InterviewwithWilliam
O'Neal.http://digital.wustl.edu/e/eii/eiiweb/one5427.1047.125williamo'neal.html(accessedApril
11,2014).
51 TheBlackPantherParty."TheBlackPanther."Itsabouttimebpp.com.
http://www.itsabouttimebpp.com/BPP_Newspapers/pdf/Vol7_No4_1971_Part1.pdf(accessed
April7,2014);Blau,Robert."PantherInformantDeathRuledSuicide."ChicagoTribune.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/19900118/news/9001050412_1_fbiagentsmedical
examinerdeath(accessedApril8,2014);OReilly.311312
 30

condemnwhattheyviewedwascoldbloodedmurder.Thispublicoutcrywouldleadtoa

trialofthepoliceofficersthatwereinvolvedintheraidaswellastheStateAttorney

EdwardHarahan.Intheendallofthemenwouldbeindictedonchargesofobstructionof

justice.HoweververylittlewasdonetosecurerealjusticeforMarkClarkandFred

Hampton.52

ThedeathsofHamptonandClarkwereahugesetbackfortheBlackPower

movementinChicago.HamptonsdeatheffectivelyendedthetrucebetweentheStones

andthePanthers.WithoutHampton,thehopestoeventuallypoliticizethegangandbring

themintothefoldoftheBlackPantherPartyfailed.Fortwouldcontinuetobeinvolved

inlegalbattlesoverhismisappropriationsofOEOfunds.Evenafterhewasletoutofjail

in1976,theBlackP.Stoneswouldnothavethesameinfluencethattheyhadonce

enjoyedonChicagosSouthSide.AfterFortseventualreleasefromprisonhewouldgo

ontoturntheBlackP.StonestowardstheIslamicfaith.Hewouldeventuallyrenamethe

gangtheElRuknsandchangehisnametoChiefMalik.Thegangwouldonceagain

reachprominenceafteritwasdiscoveredthattheyhadconspiredwithLibyanPresident

MuammarGaddafitosneakamissileintotheUnitedStatesforaterroristattack.This

markedtheendofJeffFortashewassentencedtoamaximumsecurityprison.53

TheroleandinfluenceoftheStonesonboththeCivilRightsandBlackPower

Movementsofthemidtolate60scannotbediscounted.TheStonesandtheirvarious

52TheBlackPantherParty."TheBlackPanther."Itsabouttimebpp.com.
http://www.itsabouttimebpp.com/BPP_Newspapers/pdf/Vol7_No4_1971_Part1.pdf(accessed
April7,2014.
53 "Jeff Fort," The Biography.com website, http://www.biography.com/people/jeff-fort-578620
(accessed Apr 12 2014).
 31

othercounterpartswereabletoplayapositiveroleduringtheChicagoFreedom

movement.Insteadofusingviolence,theStonesparticipatedinrallies,marches,and

picketlines.They,alongwithothergangs,wereabletosecurebetteropportunitiesfor

jobsfortheurbanblackpopulationofthecity.Inordertoachievethistheywereableto

putasideoldrivalriesandcooperatenotonlywiththevariousCivilRightsOrganizations

butothergangsaswell.Althoughtheywereabletopositivelyinfluencewhatwould

widelybeknownasafailedmovement,theydidmaketheirmarkonhistory.TheStones

wentontoinfluencetheBlackPowermovementinChicago.However,thetrueextentof

theirinfluencewillneverbeknownduetothemachinationsoftheFBIinconjunction

withlocalpoliceforces.ThefactthatatrucehadbeencalledbetweentheStonesandthe

PantherswaswhatmobilizedtheFBItobringdownthePanthersonlyshowshowmuch

peopleinpowerfearedthem.Itisunclearwhetherornottheywouldhaveeventually

beenapositiveforcefortheblackpowermovementhowever;thereisnoquestionthat

theyinfluencedit.HadHamptonnotbeenkilledtherewasachancethathewouldhave

beenabletobringaboutapowerfulmovementdedicatedtoBlackPower.Withthe

increaseinnumbersthatwouldhavebeenbroughtaboutbythemerger,Hamptonmay

havewellbeenabletoaffectseriouschange,notjustinChicago,butalsoacrosstherest

ofthecountry.

Bibliography
 32

Primary Sources

1. Fry, John R. Fire and Blackstone. [1st ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1969.

2. McPherson, James. "Chicago's Blackstone Rangers." The Atlantic Monthly,

May 1, 1969.

3. McPherson, James. "Chicago's Blackstone Rangers Part II." The Atlantic, June
1, 1969.

4. Eyes on the Prize II Interviews. "Interview with William

O'Neal." Interview with William O'Neal.
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3. Panagopoulos, Angeliki. "LSD: gangs and UIC." LSD: gangs and UIC.
http://gangresearch.net/ChicagoGangs/lsd/lsd.htm (accessed April 16,
2014).

4. PovertyandRaceResearchActionCouncil.""LaunchingtheNationalFair
HousingDebate:ACloserLookatthe1966ChicagoFreedomMovement."
prrac.com.http://www.prrac.org/full_text.php?
text_id=1047&item_id=9645&newsletter_id=0&header=Current+Projects
(accessedApril8,2014).

Secondary sources online newspapers

1. The Black Panther Party. "The Black Panther."

Itsabouttimebpp.com.
http://www.itsabouttimebpp.com/BPP_Newspapers/pdf/Vol7_No4_
1971_Part1.pdf (accessed April 7, 2014).

2. "Panther Informant Death Ruled Suicide." Chicago Tribune.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-01
18/news/9001050412_1_fbi-agents-medical-examiner-death
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3. SarasotaJournal."SarasotaJournal."news.google.com.
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Journalarticles
 34

1. Hagedorn, John. "Race Not Space: A Revisionist History of Gangs in Chicago."

Journal of African American History 91, no. 2 (2006),
 35

There are two major ongoing historiographical debates surrounding the Vietnam War.
The first is an orthodox view of the war. This is the view that the war was a tragedy
and a mistake. The other is Revisionist which views the war as a mistake as well as a
necessary defense against communism. The argument that I found most interesting
came from Mark Lawrence. Lawrence takes the view that our involvement in the
Vietnam War began when we first gave aid to France. I also think he makes an
interesting point that each successive president was influenced by the decisions of
those who came before them. This makes a a certain sort of sense as each president
or policymaker was thinking along the lines of their predecessors that this war was
crucial to contain the spread of communism in Asia. This way of thinking shows the
war was not inevitable but is was driven by the red scare and the the past descisions
of policy makers
36