Chicago Gaylords
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| Founding location | Chicago, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1950s - Today |
| Territory | Chicago |
| Ethnicity | European-American, Native-American |
| Allies | Jousters, other People Nation gangs |
| Rivals | Folk Nation |
The Chicago Gaylords, also known as the Almighty Gaylords, is one of the oldest Chicago street gangs. It originated in the neighborhood of Grand and Noble. The original president of the Gaylords selected the name after reading about the Gaylords of France in the public library. They are a part of the People Nation alliance.[1]
Genesis
The Chicago Gaylords began as one of the clubs started by veterans post-World War II. The majority of the original members were Italian, Irish, Greek, and Mexican American which reflected the population at the time, as the Grand and Ogden area was known as one of Chicago's "Little Italy's." There were many such clubs in Chicago during the post WWII era. Many of these social clubs had their own clubhouses and baseball teams. The Gaylord's clubhouse was on the corner of Ohio and Noble Street. At the height of the Gaylords reign,they had more than 5000 members, and was one of the most powerful gangs in Chicago, controlling large areas of the city.
Gang expansion
During their peak period in the 1970s, the Chicago Gaylords held sets (or sections) on the North Side, West side and the South Side of Chicago. The West side sections included Ohio and Noble, Ohio and Leclaire and Monticelllo and Augusta. Their South Side sections included Back of the Yards (around 55th & Ashland, Sherman Park), Marquette Park, Pilsen (18th & Western), and Bridgeport (Throop Street). Their North Side presence included Humboldt Park (Moffat & Campbell); Logan Square (Palmer & California, Lawndale & Altgeld); Irving Park (Albany & Byron); Kilbourn Park (Cornelia & Kilbourn); Kelvyn Park (Kilbourn & Wrightwood); Dunham Park (Montrose & Narragansett); Ravenswood (Seeley & Ainslie); and Uptown (Sunnyside & Magnolia, Lawrence & Broadway). During the 1960s through the early 1980s, the Chicago Gaylords experienced tremendous growth and expansion, with sections popping up all over Chicago. Section Map
Gang structure
Unlike other street nations or gangs, the Gaylords have had no major president or leader that is in control of the entire collective group. The Gaylords have one or two leaders from each settlement:
| Divisions Within Sets | Age Group |
|---|---|
| Slylords/Palmer Puds | Under 13 |
| Midgets | 13 to 15 |
| PeeWees | 16 to 18 |
| Juniors | 18 to 20 |
| Seniors | 21 and older |
References
- ^ Florida Department of Corrections. "Street Gangs — Chicago Based or Influenced: People Nation and Folk Nation". State of Florida. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
- Kilian, Michael, Flether, Connie Flether, and Ciccone, Richard F. (1979). Who Runs Chicago:? New York: St. Martin's Press, p.165.
- Scott, Michael Lords Of Lawndale: My Life in a Chicago White Street Gang
- Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1963); March 3, 1954; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Police Squads Break Up Gang Fight; Arrest 8: Chicago Tribune (1890-1985)Page 3.
- University of ILL. Gang Research Website [1]. Gangs around in the 1930s and 1940s: Para 11.
- John Hagedorn, 'A world of gangs: armed young men and gangsta culture',[2], Published by U of Minnesota Press, 2008, Page 53-54.