Black Gangsters of Chicago [Book]

BY RON CHEPESIUK
AUTHOR OF GANGSTERS OF HARLEM [Hard Cover] $22.00

CHICAGO HAS LONG BEEN A HAVEN FOR ORGANIZED CRIME. AL CAPONE, JOHNNY TORRIO, SAM GIANCANA--THESE NAMES BRING TO MIND THE HEYDAY OF CHICAGO'S NOTORIOUS OUTFIT. BUT EVERY BIT AS INTRIGUING AND POWERFUL AS THESE WHITE GANGSTERS WERE THE WINDY CITY'S AFRICAN AMERICAN MOB BOSSES. IN BLACK GANGSTERS OF CHICAGO, AUTHOR RON CHEPESIUK (GANGSTERS OF HARLEM) TAKES READERS THROUGH THE ANNALS OF BLACK ORGANIZED CRIME IN CHICAGO, FROM THE VERY FIRST BLACK GANGSTERS TO WILLIE LLOYD--THE NOW WHEELCHAIR-BOUND AND IMPRISONED HEADMAN OF THE VICE LORDS.

AS EARLY AS 1906, ILLEGAL GAMBLING WAS BEING SPEARHEADED BY THE "NEGRO GAMBLING KING OF CHICAGO," MUSHMOUTH JOHNSON. JOHNSON, WHO WOULD BECOME THE ICONIC BLACK GANGSTER, USHERED IN A CENTURY LONG ERA OF UNDERGROUND GAMBLING HALLS, POLITICAL BRIBERY, AND ELECTION FRAUD THAT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. IN THE 1960'S, THE CITY'S MOST FAMOUS GANG--THE BLACKSTONE RANGERS--ROSE TO POWER. COMPOSED OF YOUNG TEENS FROM BLACKSTONE AVENUE AND LEAD BY A CHARISMATIC YOUNG MAN NAMED JEFF FORT, THE GANG WAS THE FIRST TO EXTEND THEIR CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES INTO OTHER CITIES.

THE VICE LORDS, ANOTHER PROMINENTWINDY CITY GANG, WAS RULED BY BY CONVICTED COP KILLER WILLIE LLOYD. LLYOD RAN THE GANG WHILE INCARCERATED, AND IN AUGUST 2003 WAS THE TARGET OF AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT THAT LEFT HIM PARALYZED.

CHICAGO'S NOTORIETY AS THE NATION'S MOST THEATRICALLY CORRUPT CITY IS WELL DESERVED, AND FEW LOCALES HAVE BEEN THE SETTING OF AS MANY FACTUAL AND FICTIONAL CRIME TALES. IN THIS FASCINATING NARRATIVE HISTORY, RON CHEPESIUK PROFILES THE KEY PLAYERS IN THE NATION'S LARGEST BLACK ORGANIZED CRIME POPULATION AND TRACES THE MURDEROUS EVOLUTION OF THE GANGS AND RACKETS THAT DEFINE CHICAGO'S VIOLENT UNDERWORLD.

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