The Chicago/Almighty Gaylords was a large white gang which effectively existed from the late 1940's to the early 1990's. The name came from a French term used during the Age of Chivalry and denoted bravery and nobility. Membership was primarily Italian and Irish along with other white ethnics. Southern Whites, part of the great American internal migration from South to North, were enthusiastic members. There were also a number of American Indians and Hispanics were viewed themselves as Americans first and saw no contradiction in belonging to a mostly white, patriotic group.
Their main base was Lawndale though they also had sets (street corners or parks they controlled) in other Chicago neighborhoods including some in South Chicago. Their main rivals were other white gangs and disputes were settled with fists, bats and chains.
This changed in the 1960's with a flood of Mexicans, blacks and Puerto Ricans into white neighborhoods. Those who could left to the suburbs, while those who remained adapted to a new environment. Fights were now a matter of knives and guns. The Gaylords and other white gangs, now allies, refused to deal drugs, while the non-white gangs were highly, one could even say exclusively, interested in drug dealing.
Though outnumbered the white gangs fought extremely well in a losing battle. They were feared by their enemies. They could no longer recruit new members because entire neighborhoods had in essence become a part of Mexico or Puerto Rico. Set after set was abandoned, and set after set was immediately turned into a drug market by Latin Kings and Spanish Cobras.
The Gaylords, with strong justification, claimed they weren't rapists, muggers, junkies or robbers. In large numbers they were drafted (since Greasers didn't often benefit from college deferment) and volunteered for Vietnam (thus leaving neighborhoods even more vulnerable as illegal aliens can't be drafted and convicted felons aren't always welcome even if willing). Their crimes were related to a war at home, for home. It was their Alamo, or the Indians final battle. An even better analogy may be Marshal Michel Ney's rearguard action during Napoleon's retreat from Russia.
The Gaylords and other white groups (and when the race wars began the white gangs did not hesitate to identify as being, and being for, white) gave many white families the necessary breathing space and time to save enough money to move away, or for their children to finish school, or for an elderly couple to sell a house they worked all their lives to pay for.
This example of White Fight undermines the image created by the term White Flight - a non-white says 'boo' and all the whites flee in terror. Wars are not linear. There are retreats and advances. Ground lost is often regained.
Their main base was Lawndale though they also had sets (street corners or parks they controlled) in other Chicago neighborhoods including some in South Chicago. Their main rivals were other white gangs and disputes were settled with fists, bats and chains.
This changed in the 1960's with a flood of Mexicans, blacks and Puerto Ricans into white neighborhoods. Those who could left to the suburbs, while those who remained adapted to a new environment. Fights were now a matter of knives and guns. The Gaylords and other white gangs, now allies, refused to deal drugs, while the non-white gangs were highly, one could even say exclusively, interested in drug dealing.
Though outnumbered the white gangs fought extremely well in a losing battle. They were feared by their enemies. They could no longer recruit new members because entire neighborhoods had in essence become a part of Mexico or Puerto Rico. Set after set was abandoned, and set after set was immediately turned into a drug market by Latin Kings and Spanish Cobras.
The Gaylords, with strong justification, claimed they weren't rapists, muggers, junkies or robbers. In large numbers they were drafted (since Greasers didn't often benefit from college deferment) and volunteered for Vietnam (thus leaving neighborhoods even more vulnerable as illegal aliens can't be drafted and convicted felons aren't always welcome even if willing). Their crimes were related to a war at home, for home. It was their Alamo, or the Indians final battle. An even better analogy may be Marshal Michel Ney's rearguard action during Napoleon's retreat from Russia.
The Gaylords and other white groups (and when the race wars began the white gangs did not hesitate to identify as being, and being for, white) gave many white families the necessary breathing space and time to save enough money to move away, or for their children to finish school, or for an elderly couple to sell a house they worked all their lives to pay for.
This example of White Fight undermines the image created by the term White Flight - a non-white says 'boo' and all the whites flee in terror. Wars are not linear. There are retreats and advances. Ground lost is often regained.
