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27-523: Considered by law enforcement authorities to be Chicago's most powerful and sophisticated street gang, the BPSN finances itself through a wide array of criminal activities and is part of the large Chicago gang alliance known as the People Nation . Under Fort's command, the BPSN assumed an increasingly revolutionary outlook as it became associated with the black nationalism movement, eventually attracting

54-460: A Presbyterian minister, Rev. John Fry, who advised Hairston and Fort how to manage their organization. In 1967, under Rev. Fry's guidance, Fort obtained a charter from the State of Illinois to form a political organization, Grassroots Independent Voters of Illinois. Fort's organization applied for and received a US$ 1 million federal grant from the now-defunct Office of Economic Opportunity to fund

81-541: A clear leader. There are two major groups that have split with the BPSN: The Mickey Cobras were supporters of Mickey Cogwell, a co-founder of BPSN killed by Jeff Fort. The Titanic Stones were supporters of Eugene Hairston who had a falling-out with Fort. People Nation The People Nation is an American alliance of street gangs generally associated with the Chicago area. They are rivals of

108-515: A conviction for drug trafficking in 1983. Fort was the second of ten children born to John Lee and Annie Fort (née Bacon; d. 2010) in Aberdeen, Mississippi . He moved with his family to the Woodlawn neighborhood on Chicago's South Side in 1955. He dropped out of Hyde Park High School after the ninth grade. Fort spent time at Cook County temporary juvenile detention center and at

135-544: A coup, he replaced the Stones' 21 generals with five close allies and renamed the Black P. Stone Nation to El Rukn . In early–1977, Fort purchased The Oakwood, an old vacant movie theater located at 3947 South Drexel Ave., as their headquarters, naming it The Fort . Law enforcement speculated the motive for the conversion was to take advantage of restrictions on law enforcement surveillance over religious organizations. During

162-580: A program to teach job skills to gang members. The Rangers also received grants and loans from private foundations. Unlike many gangs, the Blackstone Rangers were not considered outsiders but had been largely accepted by Chicago society, with Jeff Fort even receiving an invitation from President Richard Nixon , following the 1968 election, to attend the 1969 inaugural ball . Fort declined this invitation, sending his "top man" Mickey Cogwell and one of his "generals" in his stead. After Hairston

189-540: A rival gang leader. He was sentenced to 75 years in prison, to be served consecutively with his conspiracy sentence. Fort was transferred to the newly opened ADX Florence supermax prison in Florence, Colorado , in 2006 and remains there as of 2024, being under a no-human-contact order since his arrival. Fort's daughter, Ameena Matthews, became an anti-violence activist (or "violence interrupter") in Chicago with

216-465: Is an American mobster and former gang kingpin from Chicago, Illinois . Fort co-founded the Black P. Stones gang and is the founder of its El Rukn faction. Fort is currently serving a 168-year prison sentence after being convicted of conspiracy and weapons charges in 1987 for plotting to commit attacks inside the U.S. in exchange for weapons and $ 2.5 million from Libya , ordering a murder in 1981 and

243-732: Is based, on the South Side of Chicago in the Woodlawn neighborhood. The BPSN had then advanced in the North-West Indiana communities of Gary , Merrillville , Crown Point , Portage and Elkhart . It has since emerged in other areas, particularly Wheatley Place , South Dallas Texas in the United States and Meadow Heights , North-West Victoria in Australia. There is a set in the West-Side Black P Stones in

270-594: The Blackstone Rangers /Black P. Stone Ranger Nation, one of the larger street gangs. The alliance's term "five alive, six must die" is in reference to the five-pointed star versus the six-pointed star of their rivals in the Folk Nation alliance. Commonly used by the People Nation alliance are drawings of pitchforks pointed down in disrespect to the Folk Nation alliance. Certain terms are used by

297-765: The Folk Nation alliance of gangs. In 1978, Mickey Cogwell and Jeff Fort (now Black P. Stones ), Vice Lords and Latin Kings formed an alliance system of their own, and titled it the "People". Jeff Fort of El Rukns, Bobby Gore of the Vice Lords, and Gustavo Colon of the Latin Kings were instrumental in the forming of this alliance. Among initial members to the People were the Mickey Cobras (then named

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324-735: The Illinois State Training School for Boys in St. Charles , where he met Eugene "Bull" Hairston. Around 1959, Fort and Hairston formed the Blackstone Rangers gang at St. Charles Juvenile Detention Center. The Blackstone Rangers originated as a small youth gang along Blackstone Avenue in the Woodlawn area, assembled to defend themselves against other gangs in the South Side. Hairston was the gang's leader with Fort as second in command. The Rangers fought rival gangs, especially

351-745: The United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth and was paroled in 1976. During his time at Leavenworth, Fort converted to Islam and assumed the name Prince Malik. After his release from prison in 1976, he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and joined the Moorish Science Temple . Fort then renamed the Black P. Stones to the El Rukn Tribe of the Moorish Science Temple, El Rukn being Arabic for "the pillar". In 1978, Fort returned to Chicago. In

378-493: The 1970s, the gang trafficked in cocaine and heroin. In 1983, Fort was convicted of drug trafficking charges and sentenced to 13 years in prison. He was sent to the Federal Correctional Institution at Bastrop, Texas . Fort continued to lead El Rukn through daily telephone calls from prison. He ordered members of El Rukn to meet with Libyan officials. The gang agreed to commit terrorist acts in

405-588: The Cobra Stones), Bishops, Spanish Lords, soon after the Gaylords and the Insane Popes of the South Side. Gangs that are members of the People Nation alliance regardless of status of activity are as follows: Gangs demonstrate their particular alignment by "representing" through symbols, colors, graffiti, hand signs , and words. Representing also encompasses physical orientation to the left side of

432-657: The Devil's Disciples. During the early 1960s, Fort earned the nickname "Angel" for his ability to solve disputes and form alliances between the Rangers and other gangs. By the mid 1960s, Fort assembled a coalition of 21 gangs with about 5,000 members. He organized the coalition under a governing body called the "Main 21", composed of 21 gang leaders or "generals". As the Ranger organization grew, it became involved in community and political activism. The gang also received support from

459-832: The Los Angeles area called the Jungles and the Bity another area called Crenshaw & Adams. They were founded by OG T Rodgers from Chicago after he moved to Los Angeles. When he was 13 years old he built his set, with 500 or more in membership. They also are affiliated with the Bloods due to the Bloods and the Piru Bloods protecting BPSN in Los Angeles from the Crips when they began in Los Angeles. The Blackstone Rangers were founded at

486-479: The People Nation alliance, such as "all is well" when greeting each other. The five-pointed star is not the only symbol used by the People Nation. Others include a 3D pyramid, a five-pointed crown, a die with its front-side showing five dots, a crescent moon with its concave side facing to the right and sometimes with a small five-pointed star to the right of that moon symbol. Jeff Fort Jeff Fort (born February 20, 1947), also known as Abdul Malik Ka'bah ,

513-484: The St. Charles Institution for Troubled Youth by Jeff Fort and Eugene Hairston as a community organization for black youth in the Woodlawn area of South Chicago. Between 1961 and 1963, they evolved into one of the most dangerous and powerful gangs in Chicago. Fort seized upon the gang's changed mission, renaming it the Black P.(Peace) Stone Nation. He transformed the BPSN into a black nationalistic group, and continued to involve

540-465: The U.S. in exchange for US$ 2.5 million. In 1987, Fort was tried and convicted for conspiring with Libya to perform acts of domestic terrorism on behalf of a foreign government. He was sentenced to 80 years' imprisonment, consecutive to his drug trafficking sentence, and transferred to USP Marion (the federal prison in Marion, Illinois ). In 1988, Fort was convicted of ordering the 1981 murder of

567-582: The USP Marion, the federal supermax prison in Marion, Illinois. In 1988, Fort was also convicted of ordering the 1981 murder of a rival gang leader and was sentenced to 75 years in prison to be served after the completion of his terror conspiracy sentence. While Fort continues to exercise considerable influence over the BPS from prison, the various Black Stones splinter groups suffer from rampant infighting without

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594-577: The attention of the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan , who introduced them to Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi and Nicaragua's Sandinistas . In 1986 four of its members were indicted for conspiring to commit terrorist acts in the United States for the Libyan Government. The verdict marked the first time American citizens had been found guilty of planning terrorist acts for a foreign government in return for money. The BPSN originated, and

621-476: The body. The People Nation Gangs wear all identifiers to the left. An earring in the left, a left pants leg rolled up, and a cap tilted to the left may all indicate affiliation to the alliance. The People Nation's hand sign is thrown to the left shoulder. The gang members fold their arms in a manner that is pointed to the left. The People Nation alliance in most instances uses a five-pointed star in their gang graffiti. The five-pointed star has its origins with

648-514: The gang in street crime and drug trafficking. BPSN co-founder Eugene Hairston was incarcerated on drug charges in June 1966 and was eventually murdered in 1988. Fort was arrested for mismanagement of government grants totaling $ 927,000 from the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity in March 1972. Fort was released in 1976, but was later re-incarcerated on drug charges in the early 1980s. At the same time he

675-441: The jobs program came under investigation amid accusations that grant money was diverted to criminal activities. Fort was subpoenaed to testify before a Senate committee. Fort introduced himself at the committee hearings and walked out; for this, he was convicted of contempt of Congress . In 1972, Fort and two others were convicted of misusing federal funds and Fort was sentenced to five years in prison. Fort served two years at

702-473: Was imprisoned in 1966, Fort assumed command of the Rangers. By 1968, he renamed it to the Almighty Black P. Stone Nation or Black P. Stones . The Stones engaged in robberies, extortion, and forced recruitment while also acting to keep order in the South Side. The Stones also gained control of vice in the South Side, demanding protection payments from prostitution operations and drug dealers. In 1969

729-412: Was released from prison, Fort converted to Islam and imbued the BPSN with Islamic overtones, and adopted the name Abdul Malik Ka'bah. Following meetings during 1986 with Libyan operatives from Colonel Gaddafi 's government, Fort was arrested. In 1987, Fort was tried and convicted for conspiring with Libya to perform acts of domestic terrorism. He was sentenced to 80 years imprisonment and transferred to

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