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The Gangster Disciple Nation (often abbreviated as the GD's; formally, GDN), also known as Growth & Development, is an African American street and prison gang founded by former rivals David Barksdale and Larry Hoover; in 1968, the two came together to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation (BGDN).
The Disciples created the symbols of the star of David, pitchfork, and devil’s tail with devil horns when they formed in 1958. The first arch enemy of the Disciple was the “Sons of Italy” which was a white gang of greasers in Englewood and one of the more powerful south side greaser gangs.
- Folk Nation — c. 1978-2000 or later
- in 1958 in or near Englewood
- Black and Blue
- African American
- How Larry Hoover Became A Gang Leader
- Larry Hoover’s Rise to Power in Prison
- From Gangster Disciples to “Growth and Development”
- How “Operation Headache” Exposed The Gang Leader’S Activities
- The Ongoing Efforts to Free Larry Hoover
Born on November 30, 1950, in Jackson, Mississippi, Larry Hoover moved to Chicago, Illinois with his family when he was 4 years old. He was just 12 or 13 when he joined a local gang called the Supreme Gangsters. According to Biography, Hoover started out with smaller crimes like theft, but he eventually graduated to more violent offenses like shoot...
Sent to the maximum-security Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois, Larry Hoover made a name for himself there — in a positive way. Not only did he offer protection to other inmates, but he also impressed the prison staff members by discouraging violence in the facility. Guards were relieved to see that the number of fights and upr...
Claiming that prison was reforming him, Larry Hoover changed the name of the Gangster Disciples to “Growth and Development.” Instead of encouraging illegal activities, this new group would promote social causes. Growth and Development funded a voter registration organization and opened a music label that donated proceeds to needy children. Soon, “K...
In 1995, a massive raid on the Gangster Disciples led to the arrests of 22 members, including Larry Hoover. Carried out by over 250 federal, state, and local authorities, this raid was called “Operation Headache.” The raid took place at the end of a five-year undercover investigation. Apparently, some authorities had become suspicious of Hoover’s r...
Since Larry Hoover had tens of thousands of loyal followers by the time he was caught running the gang from prison, it’s not surprising that many of them would like to see him get his freedom. But Hoover also counts many people as supporters who have never been part of the organization. Some ordinary citizens, especially in Chicago, see Hoover as a...
He is the founder of the Chicago street gang, the Gangster Disciples. Hoover is currently serving six life sentences at the ADX Florence prison facility in Colorado. He was previously sentenced to life imprisonment plus 200 years for a 1973 murder.
Aug 17, 2023 · A sweeping federal investigation of a crew of Gangster Disciples leaders ended Thursday with a life sentence for a Naperville man, Frank Smith, who is among five regional and national leaders of the gang sentenced this year on racketeering charges.
- Frank Main
- Staff Reporter
- fmain@suntimes.com
May 4, 2016 · Forty-eight alleged members of the violent Gangster Disciples Gang – including the top leaders in Tennessee and Georgia – have been charged in two indictments and accused of conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise that included multiple murders, attempted murder and drug crimes.
Dec 10, 2021 · Larry Hoover, a convicted murderer and chairman of the Chicago street gang known as Gangster Disciples who is currently serving six life sentences, formed the center of a Los Angeles concert...
