African American Street Gangs

African-American street gangs Gangs in the United States developed in the 1920s with the first existing in the nation in New York. As a group, they have the highest levels of single-family homes and is one of the poorest ethnic groups in the country. The prime age who joined a gang was 22 and from research 3 main factors caused by psychological and geographical segregation lead youth to join gangs: class distinction, racism, bias. A gang leader is selected based on popularity, ability to fight, and amount of material assets held. Most gangs were involved in prostitution, robbery, and forgery, but have now moved to trafficking and profitable drug sales of Upper(Amphetamine), Downers(Barbiturates), and Marijuana that facilitated migration. Surprisingly, there were limited conflicts and if any, were then settled with fist fights. All fights are at pre-arranged locations and weapons used were bumper-jack handles, baseball bats, chains, knives. Never were any firearms used. Some of the well-known gangs are: Purple Hearts, 31st street gang, 28th street gang. Most of the gangs were black and hispanic.
White Flight
This avoidance mechanism formed from the rapid change in demographics. There was a huge influx of Hispanics and African-Americans into Southern LA, pushing the Whites out of the city into suburban areas. This event left 71% of inner-city Los Angeles mainly populated with African-Americans.
Gang Growth in LA
Post WWII-1965 is a sociopolitical period. 1940's was the first major Black gang formation resulting in thousands of African-Americans migrating from the South to fill WWII jobs in Southern California. From racial homogeniety of neighborhoods, Los Angeles was off limits to minorities so African-Americans crowded into neighborhood blocks such as Central Avenue and began to claim and protect their turfs.
1970-1972 is another major period.
Social Factors
Vietnam War and the draft disproportionately selected African-American youth among all races.
Martin Luther King raised awareness for African-American oppression.
Black militant organizations stressed the need for African-Americans to unite.
== Origin of "Crips" ==
1) Raymond Washington used his cane when he walked or confinement to wheel chair
2) It’s an offshoot of the Slauson Street gang
3) Originally called Avenue Cribs. Washington founded Baby Avenues to protect from other AA street gangs and profit from criminal activities. Washington modeled Cribs after Black Panther Party and Avenues.
4) From Superman’s Kryptonite
5) Raymond Washington or Stanley Williams had a cripple cousin that they call “crip cuzz”
6) Formed after Watts riot 1969 against bigotry, racism, prejudice, discrimination
In 1972 the name Crip was applied to the gang and they identified with the colors blue and black, the darker shades. The gang was controlled by Tookie Williams, Raymond Washington, Michael Conception. Williams and Jarnal Barners were body builders and did not found the Crips. They formed alliances with Gangster Disciples. The Crips developed crack/cocaine in rock houses, rented houses as places of business where cocaine was manufactured, sold and used.
Rainbow Crips
This party crew is a lesbian female gang. Females mainly acted as auxiliary member for male gangs.
Piru Street Gang
This African-American street gang later shifted to a Hispanic gang for which the Parus is Blood aligned. They identified with the colors black and red, the lighter neutral colors. Because there were no alliances between street gangs, any non-Crip assosciated gang flocked together to form the Blood though in numbers is still fewer than the Crips. Even Crip gangs fought amongst one another and Blood fought rival Blood gangs. They allied with People Nation.
== "Monster" Kody Scott's 3 steps to Original Gangster title ==
1) Build reputation as individual
2) Build name in association with a particular gang subset
3) Establish yourself as a Crip or Black

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