African American gangs in Los Angeles originated mostly from the migration of African Americans from the South after World War II. In the 1920’s most of the gangs in Los Angeles were family oriented and it was not until the late 1940’s that the first gangs began. The gangs surfaced out the area known as the East Side, which is the area east of Main Street to Alameda. A lot of the gangs surfaced because of the racism perpetrated by the whites. There was clear segregation and racism against blacks, they were not allowed in certain areas of Los Angeles and could not buy property there. White gangs got together to stop African Americans from trying to integrate themselves into the Los Angeles society. In turn, …show more content…
The black political organizations in Los Angeles became stronger and stronger as the civil rights movement enthralled the nation. The strength and political power of the African Americans was seen as a threat to local and national security. The national government became concerned and formed counterintelligence groups to combat the growing African American political influence. The government used counterintelligence tactics to eradicate and destroy African American organizations, with the Black Panther Party as its main target. These tactics, called COINTELPRO, were previously used against the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), and the Communist Party (CPUSA) during the 1950s and 1940s. Clearly, it was an all out war between the government and African American leaders. The government was successful in stopping the movement in Los Angeles. African American youths in Los Angeles saw their role models shut down and their ideals shattered by the government. The lack of leadership and unity in the community led to the resurgence of gang violence. In 1969, Raymond Washington created a gang called the Baby Avenues, modeling itself to one of the early gangs of the sixties called the Avenues. They were also called the Avenue Cribs because of their youthfulness, and later just the Cribs. A student at Freemont High School,
Gangs reorganized and many combined their gangs into one bigger enterprise. Gangs were mostly run from prisons during the 1970’s and on (Brief outline); therefore one could not escape the gangs. Gangs shaped Chicago early on.
Greetings! As noted in the last post, many gangs such as The Black P. Stone Nation were strongly influenced by the social environment in Chicago, Illinois. Check out this article about Chicago based gangs and how they developed. The article by Julie Jones posted on the Florida Department of Corrections website explained how Jeff Fort united the leaders of dozens of street gangs in order to form a single organization. As we all know, this group would later be known as El Rukn. The commission that ran the gang helped project the BPSN as a self-sufficient group that would benefit the community as a whole. As a result, the BPSN gained millions of dollars in federal anti-poverty funds. However, it was not a surprise that this money was used in order
Through the rise of groups such as the Black Panther Party, violence became increasingly prevalent. “The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense calls upon the American people in general and the black people in particular to take careful note of the racist California Legislature which is now considering legislation aimed at keeping the black people disarmed and powerless at the very same time that racist police agencies throughout the country are intensifying the terror, brutality, murder, and repression of black people (Document F).” As a result of the lack of movement on the bill previously proposed my Kennedy to remove segregation, many African-Americans began to give up on this method of peaceful protest. “All of these efforts have been answered by more repression, deceit, and hypocrisy (Document F).” This is because as it appeared to them, it was not working and had no effect on the government. Instead, they discovered a much more direct approach which, was assured to catch the eye of the government. This method was violence. “The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense believes that the time has come for the black people to arm themselves against this terror before it is too late (Document F).” Through violent “black power” groups such as the Black Panthers, the previously peaceful Civil Rights movement began to take on a new
Gangs seem to serve a purpose and function for its members as they “derive psychological benefits of recognition and respect” and they feel being part of a gang improves their self esteem and social status. There are many stories as to how the street gang Crips was formed in the late 1960’s. The first story states the Stanley “Tookie” Williams and Raymond Washington started the gang. Raymond Washington was the leader of a gang called “Baby Avenues” that was later called “Avenue Cribs”. It was believed that the newspaper misprinted the name of “Crib” to “Crip” and the name stuck. Another theory suggested that the name came from a man being quoted as saying he was assaulted by a “crip”, meaning a crippled person. Washington’s brother had a leg
Because the Black Panthers felt society and government were withholding African-Americans from social progress, they took some matters into their own hands. They promoted more just
The black panthers soon became the most influential revolutionary national organization in the U.S. The Panthers initiated many programs for residents in the ghetto. It wasn’t long before they were considered a threat to social order. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began targeting and raiding The Black Panther Party, in the process many were assassinated, imprisoned, or exiled . Due to the crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980s and extreme gang violence, The Black Panther Party began to lose impact on the population.
Once we finished watching the documentary street gangs of Los Angeles two theories were most prevalent in my mind for why there was gang formation in that area. The first being Travis herschi’s “social bonds”. Second being Walter miller’s “focal concerns”. Social bond theory is not a crime causation theory but a pro social behavior theory that helps explain deviance. This theory identified four social bonds that promote adherence to society’s laws and values. The four bonds being: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. If there was any weakness in any of these four areas would be an explain for the cause of delinquency. Focal concerns theory is different than many other theories because it is not the rejection of middle-class
Gangs have existed in the United States for over 200 years. It all started when the first immigrants came to the U.S.A. Most of them came for a better life but many of them ended up in poverty. The first gangs were formed among poor adolescents who grouped together for the sake of socialisation and protection. They were of the same race or the same ethnic background. The first known gang specialized in crimes was called "The Five Points". They consisted of Irish immigrants and was established in New York City. They dressed in a specific way and used monikers or nicknames. Another early gang were the "Forty Thieves". Their gang leader was Edward Coleman and they formed in 1826. New York City's early gangs had an easy time of it because of
Organized in the 1960s at the height of the American Civil Rights Movement, the Black Panther Party emerged as a revolutionist group pioneering a strategy of militancy. The Party’s aims were to eliminate the discrimination challenging African-Americans in America since the time of slavery, and to protect their communities from police brutality. Inspired by contemporary radical leaders such as Malcolm X, the party recognized that in order to restructure American society so that civil equality was obtainable by all people, a much stronger opposition was necessary. Party members felt the passive resistance adopted by their predecessors fighting for equality proved
There were many events in the Black Panther Party wither many people that did them. Here are some of them. In 1968 Bobby Seale was charged with inciting riots during a Democratic Party National Convention. While in prison Seale was also charged with the murder of Alex Rackley, a former police officer. The trial was held on May 25th, 1971, but left with a hung jury. The judge ordered all charges to be dropped. Stokely Carmichael was also important to the Panthers. Carmichael was arrested 35 times for his part in the civil rights movement, and eventually left the U.S. for an African country called Guinea. In 69’ Carmichael resigned from The Black Panthers. Huey Newton also had a big impact on the civil rights movement. On October 28th 1967 Huey P. Newton was charged with killing a cop while he was currently in the hospital suffering from a wound. A year went by and it was finally certain that Newton is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. When released Bobby Seale and Huey renounced political violence.
The Black Panther Party was a revolutionary party that was for the encroachment and prolongation of the Black community and the freedom of their social and economic rights that come with finally being recognized as first class citizens. The head of this revolution, Huey P. Newton, started the party along with Bobby Seale in order to set the path for the Black people to follow, even long after they pass. The constant struggle for social and economic freedom among the Black community would soon end, thanks to this sudden revolution and its well-prepared planning. With each small step of watching police officers and the paying for the bail of every person they followed to the jail, the Panthers were slowly, but surely, wearing down the walls of their racist and prejudiced prison. Using the Little Red Book and guns, along with the amazing power of numbers and the art of self-defense, the Black Panther Party transformed the Black revolution and made it into not only fighting racism and inequality, but also made it into a movement for the Black community to love themselves and their culture instead of wishing they were white so they would not have to go through what they were going through. Self-love, along with education and children, was one of the more important parts of the revolution because what is the point of getting to the top of a deep pit that you and your ancestors have climbed for centuries, only to take a single step and fall into another great pit, this deeper
The history of African-Americans in the United States is full of many periods of achievements, as well as periods of struggle. The Los Angeles riots of 1992 were the result of many years of systematic racism in the United States following the Civil Rights Movement. The beating and unjust trial of Rodney King exposed the unfair and brutal treatment of African Americans by the police. As well as the shooting of 15 year-old Latasha Harlins 2 weeks after the beating of Rodney King to further ignite hatred within African-Americans in Los Angeles. What came forth was a week long riot not only changed Los Angeles, but the United States. That is why the Los Angeles riots was the most devastating, yet consequential, civil uproar in the history of the United States.
What comes to mind when you think of the Black Panther Party? Do you even know who the Black Panthers really were? They helped transform the lives of many African Americans in the U.S and helped empower the community. The Black Panther has a huge background of history, goals, and beliefs. Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale from Oakland, California founded the Panthers in 1966. Initially, they were an African American self defense force and were highly influenced by Malcolm X’s beliefs. The Panthers had many goals such as;freedom, protecting blacks from police brutality, and helping African Americans obtain a jobs. Despite the negative stereotypes of the Black Panthers as people who ran around with guns, fighting police, they were a major group during the Civil Rights Movement because they practiced self defense, established revolutionary socialism, and stimulated Malcolm X's influence. In the following I will discuss the successful changes the Black Panther Party, had on the African American community during the civil rights movement.
No parent wants to see their child becomes gang that uses weapon, hurts someone, or goes to prison. Gang violence affects children, their families, and their community. In 1980s, African American gangs in Los Angeles became drug dealers, specifically cocaine, as a means of earnings. High rates of unemployment in African American community in Los Angeles forced young people to turn on drugs, and large number of youth became drug dealers to gain economic security. Main problem was drug availability and its huge profit to be made in the drug dealing. Political groups such as The Black Panther Party emerged to deal with racism and police brutality in Los Angeles because of white officers involved abusing African American citizens. Many also blame racism, injustice, and the War on Drugs was the causes for long imprisonments for non-violent drug offenders. A massive imprisonment policy of African Americans, led to huge racial inequality in the criminal justice system by excluding jobs, education, housing, and voting after their released. Injustice, racism, unemployment, drugs, gangs and gang crime were primary problems that African American community in Los Angeles experienced in 1980s.
Police behavior was heavily monitored in the African American communities by the Black Panthers. In the year of 1966 the police violence was out of control in Los Angeles. The Black Panthers saw this and believed that their African American brothers and sisters needed to be protected. So whenever an African American was arrested, armed Black Panthers would stand at a reasonable distance. That was to make sure there was no police brutality involved. Doing this gave the Black