Chicago Gaylords
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The Chicago Gaylords, also known as the Almighty Gaylords, is the oldest White Chicago street gang -- and one of the most violent. They originated in the neighborhood of Grand and Noble. The original president of the Gaylord's selected the name after reading about the Gaylords of France in the public library.
The Chicago Gaylords started out as one of the clubs that were started by veterans post-World War II. 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. The Chicago Gaylords would eventually leave the Ohio and Noble area as the neighborhood's population became more Latino.
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[edit] Gang expansion
During their peak period in the 1970s, the Chicago Gaylords held sets (or sections) in both the North Side and the South Side of Chicago. Their South Side sections included Back of the Yards (around 55th and Ashland, Sherman Park), Marquette Park, Pilsen (18th and Western), and Bridgeport (Throop Street). The Gaylords colors were light or baby blue and white, most colors worn were during the period of sweaters. These sweaters were a sign, taking a enemy's sweater was a sign of disrespect and the gang member whom lost his sweater must get it back.Their North Side presence included Humboldt Park (Moffat and Campbell),Dunham Park,Montrose and Narragansett, Logan Square (Palmer and California, Lawndale and Altgeld), Uptown (Sunnyside and Magnolia, Lawrence and Broadway), Kilbourn Park, and Ravenswood (Seeley and Ainslie). During the 1960s early 1980s, the Chicago Gaylords experienced tremendous growth and expansion with sections popping up all Chicago.
[edit] Greaser legacy
At that time, the Gaylords, like many other greaser gangs, took on a White Power stand – which was not a Nazi doctrine like hating Jews or Black people – but a White pride concept using slogans such as "You are White and proud!". This racialization occurred as white gangs felt threatened by the movement of Puerto Ricans into old predominently White neighborhoods. The Gaylords as well as other White gangs referred to themselves as Stone Greasers – which was a gang who honored its greaser legacy. As other gangs followed the hip-hop crowd, gangs like the Gaylords were still living by old school values, which was: neighborhood defense and not selling or using hard drugs.
Gaylords were also into brawling with fists and traditional type weapons like bricks, baseball bats, chains and knifes. As the rules of engagement on the streets of Chicago changed, the Gaylords were forced to use guns and increase their level of violence to combat their enemies.
The Gaylords were a strong gang that experienced continual growth throughout the 1980s. To their credit they held their neighborhoods as many White families moved to the suburbs, and gentrification of poor White neighborhoods eliminated where they once lived and their ability to recruit new talent. Today, they are a shell of what they use to be –a gang with over a thousand members.
[edit] Gang structure
Gaylords leadership structure: unlike other street nations or gangs, the Gaylords have never had any major president or leader that was in control of the entire collective group. The Gaylords have one or two leaders from each settlement:
| Divisions Within Sets | Age Group |
|---|---|
| Slylords | Under 13 |
| Midgets | 13 to 15 |
| PeeWees | 16 to 18 |
| Juniors | 18 to 20 |
| Seniors | 21 and older |
A Gang research map of Chicago shows the Gaylords having a large section in the North and North West Sides with many rival gangs surrounding their turf.
The Chicago Gaylords were mentioned in print in the 1979 book Who Runs Chicago?. They were also listed as Chicago's fourth largest gang, and the largest White street gang in the city.
[edit] References
- 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
