The history of the Chicago Gaylord Street Gang tells the history of not only the Gaylords, but the history
of the People and Folk Nations which not only affect Chicago, but America as a whole.
It is doubtful that any Chicago ethnic community was damaged as greatly by government policies during the post WWII period as
was the Italian American. First there was the building of Cabrini-Green housing project, which helped drive Sicilians out of the near North Side
in the 1940s and 1950s. Then came the construction of the expressway system on the near South, West, and Northwest sides, which dislodged additional
(and other ethnic) families and institutions, including the church and the new school of the Holy Guardian Angel at the Dan Ryan Expressway and Forquer Street.
The exodus of Italians was west to Austin and along Grand Avenue, eventually reaching Harlem Avenue." 1
This is how the Grand and Noble area was formed.
1 ETHNIC CHICAGO: A Multicultural Portrait, Melvin G. Holli and Peter d'A. Jones, EDS., William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Michigan, p.244.
The Gaylords Street gang has its beginnings in the area of grand and noble on Chicago's north side. The Gaylords were originally a softball club in the late 1940s or early 1950s, that eventually converted in to a street gang around 1952 (See Chicago Tribune reference). Softball clubs and social clubs were common in Chicago and many neighborhoods had them. Other softball clubs at that time included the Scorpions, Ramrods and the Demons. It is very important to say here, that for many years after the 1950s, gangs referred to themselves as "clubs" in Chicago.
It has been reported that the name of the Gaylords softball club was at first called "Gay Lords," which originated from the original leader a guy named "Larry" who looked up the word in the dictionary: "Gaylord is a surname with origins in Old France. Back then it was spelled Gaillard until it was anglicized during the reign of King Edward VI(1547-1553) when protestants from Normandy emmigrated to England to escape religious persecution. Gaylord is defined as meaning brave or representing strength. However, a direct translation of the word gaillard is ribald, bawdy or strapping, as in, 'he's a strapping young fellow',"
see Gaillards.
The reason for this is unknown, its probably because the usage of the word "Gay" by society at the time to reflect a cheerful mood.
The Gaylords adopted their name at a time period in which homosexuality had nothing to do with the word "Gay." It was a trendy and widely used word of the time that described a proud, happy mood. The word "Gay"could be found back then in the names of businesses, books and even in movies such as: The Gay Intruders (1948), and The Gay Amigo (with western star, Cisco Kid, 1949).
Because of a store front that the original Gaylords congregated in front of Angie's Bar at 1323 West Huron Street, their first street corners were Huron and Throop. Although Huron and Throop were the main corners, Grand and Noble was the general area in which Gaylords could be found because of many restaurants and other venues of interests on the busy avenue of Grand.
The Gaylords later moved themselves just blocks away to Ohio and Noble (See Original Clubhouse) and started claiming this as their new main corners because of a new store front or club house that they found themselves congregating at. It has even been reported that organized crime had a presence on this corner and the Gaylords did small favors for them.
The Gaylords racial make up at its creation was primarily Italian and Irish, which reflects the racial make up of the Grand and Noble area.
The Gaylords were a a well known street gang by the early 1960s. Other gangs at this time were the C-Notes, Simons Park, PVPs and Lazy Gents. Groups like these were referred to as "Greaser Gangs" because of the greased back hair and other distinctive habits.
The Gaylords and other gangs in general during the early 1960s were far from the insane violence that would come about decades later. Drug sales and usage at this time was a rarity. Gangs basically fought battles over turf, girls or other rights of passage.
Original Huron and Throop Set Card From The 1950s.
It is very possible that it is the first gang card issued in Chicago. (Click on Card Image to enlarge)
Up until the early 1960s, the Gaylords were basically considered just a simple turf war gang. But, the 1960s were to be some turbulent times, especially on the streets of Chicago.
On the Northside of Chicago, the rising rate of Puerto Rican immigrants was expanding at an outstanding rate. With this came the birth or emergence of many Puerto Rican street gangs. These gangs were created for the defense of their people and their neighborhoods. These gangs included the Young Lords, and the quickly growing Latin kings. Puerto Rican gangs like these, were not just concerned with just turf wars, but also seemed very politically motivated. Even the murals painted on walls by the Young Lords were revolutionary in purpose.
Along with all this, was the eviction of the Puerto Rican community from the Lincoln Park area by the political system of Chicago as an act gentrification. These particular Puerto Rican people were then relocated,
or just seemingly dropped in to the area of Humboldt Park. Now, this rightfully angered and deeply disturbed the Puerto Rican community, to see their people treated in such a disrespectful and extremely degrading manner. This atrocious act, and other acts of oppression seem to light the fuse,
that exploded into an all out riot around Humboldt Park by the Puerto Rican community in 1966.
Not only did the eviction and relocation process disrupt the Puerto Rican community, but it also disrupted the natives already living in and around the Humboldt Park area. It's as if their little echo system had been invaded or compromised. This now caused a domino like effect.
That domino effect being, the Puerto Rican community growing outwards from the Humboldt Park area, pushing the natives of the neighborhoods that they were rapidly taken over, in to taking off in mass exodus. The natives were taking off to places like the surrounding suburbs of Chicago.
If we look back, Puerto Rican street gangs were started as a defensive measure. Now, as their community was growing, they seemed to switch apparently unnoticed in to an offensive mode.
As all this was transpiring, the Gaylords, and the other predominant White street gangs were still engaged in their turf wars. These were the basic run of the mill, show of power battles. The other White gangs at this time included ; C-Notes, Jousters, Playboys, Simon City, and other various groups.
Now, as their Puerto Rican community, and their gangs, started to flood in to other neighborhoods, the White gangs were seemingly erased as they were not prepared for all of this, or they fought vicious battles to contain and maintain their neighborhoods.
