Folk Nation

Folk Nation

Founded	1978;47 years ago (1978)
Founder	Larry Hoover
Founding location	Stateville Correctional Center, Crest Hill, Illinois, U.S.
Years active	1978–present
Territory	Nationwide
Ethnicity	Any (multiethnic)
Leader(s)	Larry Hoover
Criminal activities	Drug trafficking, burglary, extortion, homicide
Allies	Various Crips factions
Rivals	People Nation

The Folk Nation is an alliance of street gangs originating in Chicago, established in 1978. ^[1] The alliance has since spread throughout the United States, particularly the Midwestern United States.

Formation

The Folk Nation was formed on November 11, 1978, within the confines of the Stateville Correctional Center. ^[2]

Larry Hoover, the chairman of the Gangster Disciple Nation, created the idea for the alliance and persuaded leaders of black, white, and Latino gangs from Chicago to join. Many of the organizations were small in membership and sought strength through numbers inside the prison system. In 1989, a call came out from Stateville requiring all Folk Nation gangs to "register", and adopt formal laws and by-laws. Seventeen gangs initially registered. From the alliance's formation, the Folk Nation gangs had minor in-fighting. ^[3]

Symbols

All gangs that are members of the Folk Nation represent their allegiance by utilization of the six-point Star of David, used in reference to "King" David Barksdale, founder of the Black Gangster Disciples. ^{[2] [3]} Other references to the digit six are also used - the Roman numeral VI, and a die with six dots visible. Most gangs under the Disciple moniker use a pitchfork, horns, a devil's tail, a horned heart, and a winged heart. Members of gangs affiliated with the Folk Nation also "represent" to the right, for example, by wearing baseball caps pointed to the right, rolling up their right pant leg, and throwing gang signs with the right hand. ^[4]

Folk gangs also disrespect People Nation gangs by inverting or "cracking" (adding crack marks to or removing half of a gang symbol) their symbols, such as upside-down crowns and upside-down number 5s. ^[5]

Affiliated gangs

Gangster Disciple Nation graffiti

Some of the affiliated gangs include:

Insane family

• Insane Spanish Cobras ^{[5] [3]}
• Insane Deuces ^[3]
• Insane Ashland Vikings ^[3]
• Insane C-Notes ^[3]
• Insane Dragons ^[3]
• Insane Orchestra Albany ^[3]

Maniac family

• Maniac Latin Disciple Nation ^{[5] [3]}
• Maniac Campbell Boys ^[3]
• Maniac Young Latin Organization Disciples ^[3]

Almighty family

• Almighty Imperial Gangsters ^[3]
• Almighty Latin Eagle Nation ^{[5] [3]}
• Almighty Simon City Royal Nation ^{[5] [6] [3]}
• Almighty Insane Pope Nation (north-side only)
• Almighty Harrison Gents ^[3]

No family

• Gangster Disciple Nation ^{[5] [3]}
• Black Disciples ^{[5] [3]}
• La Raza Nation ^{[5] [3]}
• Spanish Gangster Disciples ^[5]
• Insane Gangster Satan Disciples ^{[2] [3]}
• Gangster Two-Six Nation ^[3]
• Ambrose ^[3]
• Latin Lovers ^[3]
• Tiny Rascal Gang (in Michigan) ^[7]

References

1. "FBI - Publications - Law Enforcement Bulletin - December 2001". Archived from the original on January 10, 2008.
2. Knox, George W. (2008). "The Satan's Disciples: A Gang Profile". www.ngcrc.com. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
3. Hagedorn, John (2015). The Insane Chicago Way: The Daring Plan by Chicago Gangs to Create a Spanish Mafia. The University of Chicago Press. p. 19,20,21,272. ISBN   978-0-226-23293-5.
4. "Quickguide to Gangs" (pdf). National Alliance of Gang Investigators' Associations. April 2009. p. 27. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
5. People and Folk Nation Sets (continued) - Gang and Security Threat Group Awareness, archived from the original on August 6, 2008. Accessed March 19, 2019.
6. Ladd, Donna (April 5, 2018) Dangerous, Growing, Yet Unnoticed: The Rise of America's White Gangs, The Guardian . Retrieved June 11, 2023.
7. https://www.gvsu.edu/cms4/asset/903124DF-BD7F-3286-FE3330AA44F994DE/street_gangs_in_the_greater_holland_area.pdf ^{[ bare URL PDF ]}