History

The Gangsters Disciples have roots that date back to the 1960s. Larry Hoover is the current leader of the GDs and has been since 1974. The story starts when Larry Hoover was born in 1950. He was born in Jackson, Mississippi on November 30, 1950. In 1955, when Larry was 4 he moved to Chicago with his family. In 1964 when Hoover was 13, he wanted to join gang of 50 older youths called the Supreme Gangsters (the Supreme Gangsters used the heart with wings as their symbol). They hung around where Hoover lived which was the corner and 68th and Green Street. Hoover was kicked out of High School on the first day of his sophomore year because he got shot in the thigh by a rival gang member in 1965. Kicked out of school, Hoover soon took to a life of extortion tactics from hookers, gamblers, and drug dealers. Within due time Hoover became the leader of the Supreme Gangsters. In 1966 Hoover and the Supreme Gangsters overcame the King Cobras with whom outnumbered the Supreme Gangsters and Hoover caused most of the Cobras to become Disciples and join the BDN under Barksdale. Eventually Hoover was able to organize the Gangster Nation which was the absorbing of several gangs in the Englewood neighborhood. These gangs included: The Supreme Gangsters (the father/main branch of the gangster nation), Imperial Gangsters, African Sniper Gangsters, Raven Gangsters, High Supreme Gangsters, Russian Gangsters, Maniac Gangsters, Mafia Gangsters, 75th Street Syndicate Gangsters, Outlaw Gangsters, 95th Street Supreme Gangsters, the Dells Gangsters, West Side Supreme Gangsters, Racketeer Gangsters, East side Syndicate Gangsters, Gent town Gangsters, and the Black Pimp Gangsters of the West Side.

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The Roots

Barksdale created the Disciple Nation that consisted of: Devil's Disciples, Devit's Disciples, Falcon Disciples, Royal Disciples, Renegade Disciples, Executioner Disciples, Boss Pimp disciples, East Side Disciples, Sircon Disciples, Motown Disciples, Dutchtown Disciples, Gonzato Disciples, Six-Tray Disciples, Maniac Disciples and four-Tray Disciples. Also during this period of time, David Barksdale controlled the Del Vikings, the Black Souls, and the West Side Cobras. The Black Disciples and the Gangster Nation were two alliances, basically similar to the present day Folk Nation. Before the gangs would join either Gangster Nation or Black Disciples, they had to alter their names a little, to be in the Disciple nation u had to adopt the last name of Disciple (there were exceptions like the Black Souls, West Side Cobras, and Del Vikings). The rest of the gangs that joined had to adopt the last name of Gangster.

During the late 1960s the Gangster Nation was growing but still behind the development of the Black Disciples and the Black P. Stone Rangers; However, Barksdale and Hoover had a good alliance. Jeff Fort who was the leader of the Black Stone Rangers at that time invited Larry Hoover the absorb his Gangster Nation into the Black Stones and offered Hoover the position as an ambassador which was a much lesser position than Hoover's present position as the leader. Fort offered to rename the Gangster Nation to the Gangster Stones, Hoover declined this offer. Instead in January, 1969 Hoover and Barksdale combined forces and created the Black Gangster Disciple Nation. They then combined the heart with wings with the devil’s tail, horns, and pitchfork. They also adopted the six point star to symbolize “King David” of the Jews because Barksdale was also a King David. They name was a combination of the Gangster nation name with the Black Disciple nation name to form “BLACK GANGSTERS DISCIPLES.” The BGDN at that time was an alliance and not a gang. So Barksdale and Hoover were enemies in the 60s. Then when the BGDN was formed, the wars ended and they instead combined forces to destroy (or attempt to) the Black P. Stone Rangers. However; the external goal was to form a coalition that would better the community and the members of their organizations. The BGDN soon became active in the community; they participated in several programs and opened up a gas station and some restaurants they even helped to keep kids in school by assisting in enforcing truancy policies. The BGDN was starting to move in a positive direction in the early 1970s. Even though the BGDN was moving in a positive direction, there suddenly developed a massive flooding of drugs into the black communities they lived in, soon members either were using the drugs or getting rich off selling the drugs. All these drug activities both done by the BGDN and even drug activity not done by the BGDN were destroying the community. Eventually the BGDN was engrossed in the drug trade. More tragedy would soon befall the BGDN in the early 70s. In 1973 Larry Hoover was sentenced to a life sentence on November 5, 1973 for murdering a drug addict. Joshua Shaw was the witness to testify against Hoover who claimed he saw Hoover and Andrew Howard kidnap William Young from 69th and Wentworth, Later Young was found shot dead in an alley way at 6814 S. Lowe on February 26th, 1973. Young was said to have stolen drugs from the BGDN's drug supply because Young was an addict. Howard and Hoover were given 150-200 year sentences each. Then on September 2, 1974 David Barksdale died of Kidney failure that was caused by complications from a gunshot wound that Barksdale got in 1968. Afterward a new president needed to be appointed and it was to be between Hoover or Jerome Shorty Freeman. It was decided that Hoover should be the new President. Four years later in 1978, Freeman disbanded from the BGDN to make the Black Disciples a separate organization


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ΨBGD's TodayΨ

The bgds today no longer have territory in Chicago,but in cities such as Indianapolis,Gary,Hammond,Milwaukee,Cleveland,Detroit,Kalamazoo,Rockford,St.Louis,Memphis,and other cities throughout the midwest and south.The can be seen in the streets wearing all black with a blue bandanna,and colors such as Blue,black,grey,brown and white.This notorious street gang is still known for their major drug sales,colors,and weapon purchases.BGDs have now separated into different sets all over the midwestern and southern states.They are known to be enemies with all Vice Lord sets,Latin Kings,Blood/Black P Stones,Crips,Sureno 13,and Norteno 14.