Almighty Black P. Stone Nation

The Black P. Stone Nation, or BPSN, is an American street gang founded in Chicago, estimated to have more than 30,000 members. The gang was originally formed in the late 1950s as the Blackstone Rangers. The organization was co-founded by Eugene Hairston and Jeff Fort. In later years, under Fort's leadership, an Islamic faction of the gang emerged, naming themselves the "El Rukn tribe of the Moorish Science Temple of America" (or simply El Rukn, Arabic for "the pillar" or "the foundation").^[2][3][4]

Considered by law enforcement authorities to be Chicago's most powerful and sophisticated street gang,^[5] 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.^[6] Under Fort's command, the BPSN assumed an increasingly revolutionary outlook as it became associated with the black nationalism movement, eventually attracting 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.^[2][5][7] The verdict marked the first time American citizens had been found guilty of planning terrorist acts for a foreign government in return for money.^[8]

Territory

The BPSN originated, and is based, on the South Side of Chicago in the Woodlawn neighborhood.^[9] As of today, the gang has since advanced in the Northwest Indiana communities of Gary, Merrillville, Crown Point, and Portage. It has then proceeded into other areas particularly Nashville, West Tennessee in the United States and Melbourne in Australia, consequently it's presence and growth continues to increase. There is a set in the West-Side Black P Stones in 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.

History

The Blackstone Rangers were founded at the St. Charles Institution for Troubled Youth^[10] 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.^[11] 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 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 the early 1980s. 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 the early 1980s, but was later re-incarcerated on drug charges. At some time in the 1980s, Fort converted to Islam and imbued the BPSN with Islamic overtones, and adopted the name Abdul Malik Ka'bah.^[12]

According to former gang member Lance Williams, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan was responsible for introducing Fort to Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi.^[7] 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.^[2] He was sentenced to 80 years imprisonment and transferred to the USP Marion, the federal supermax prison in Marion, Illinois.^[13][14][15] 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.^[16][17] While Fort continues to exercise considerable influence over the BPS from prison, the various Black Stones splinter groups suffer from rampant infighting without 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.

Media

• The FBI investigation into Jeff Fort and his El Rukns gang for terrorism was featured in an episode of The FBI Files entitled "Terror For Sale", such as the gang's purchase of a LAW Rocket (actually a dummy rocket) from an undercover agent posing as an arms dealer.
• Malik Yusef, the poet, musician, film producer and actor based in Chicago is a former member of the Blackstone Rangers
• A teen who robbed Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s teenage son in front of his family home is a member of a Black P Stones gang faction. His brother was also a member.^[18] The gang faction is centered around Sunnyside and Magnolia in Uptown, near the Payne’s family’s old apartment and a short walk from Rahm Emanuel’s house.

Notes

Further reading

• 2011 The Almighty Black P Stone Nation: The Rise, Fall, and Resurgence of an American Gang Natalie Y. Moore (Author), Lance Williams (Author) ISBN 978-1-55652-845-3
• Cooley, Will. "'Stones Run It': Taking Back Control of Organized Crime in Black Chicago, 1940-1975," Journal of Urban History 37:6 (November, 2011), 911-932.

External links

• FBI file on the El Rukn
• Black P Stones in Los Angeles by Streetgangs.com