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Revision as of 00:17, 14 January 2008 by Chicagofacts (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) For other uses, see Latin kings (disambiguation). Criminal organization| Founded by | Papa Santos |
|---|---|
| Founding location | Chicago,Illinois  |
| Years active | 1940 - present |
| Territory | Chicago USA |
| Ethnicity | mostly Hispanic |
| Membership (est.) | 20,000-25,000 |
| Criminal activities | Drug trafficking, robbery, extortion, murder |
The Latin Kings is a Chicago based street gang consisting of mainly Latino members. They are part of the People Nation alliance. It began as a social organization for the advancement of the Puerto Rican community in the Chicago area in the 1940s and has since spread to U.S. cities, throughout Latin America, and into Europe, specifically Spain.
By the 1970s, the Latin Kings came to be dominated by individuals engaged in criminal activity, and in particular, narcotics trafficking.
The Latin Kings History
The first evidence of the Latin Kings was 1961, but became organized on wider scale by 1966. The Latin Kings started in the Humboldt Park section of the North Side in Chicago, Illinois and stood for Puerto Rican Pride and Independence from the United States. Members soon became involved in criminal activities. At the time, the Vice Lords and Gaylord's were the Latin Kings' only enemies. Since then, many Latino Gangs started appearing in Chicago and started feuds with the Latin Kings.
Urban gangs, including the Latin Kings, would receive benefits for working and meeting with social workers. These perks included trips, boating, horseback riding, and other activities. The more dangerous the government perceived a gang, the more likely the gang was to receive benefits. The Latin Kings took advantage of these perks by acting "bad" and gaining government sympathy. Today, the government no longer provides perks of any kind to gangs.
In Chicago, the Latin Kings have 25,000 members and are the largest Latino gang in the city. Their symbols include the five point star (which represents their alliance to the People Nation), the Master, Lions, and a five point crown symbolizing the five principles of the gang (those principles being respect, honesty, unity, knowledge, and love; if a member ignores any point of the crown, they are considered to be ignoring all points of the crown, and are subject to retaliation) . A perfect example of the Latin Kings' violence (to rival gangs and their own members) can be found in the book My Bloody Life: The Making of Latin King. The book was authored by a former Chicago Latin King.
Latin King Identifiers
Members of the Latin Kings are identified by their black and gold-colored clothing. Symbols or Tattoos include Five-Pointed Crown, The Master ( King Character from Deck of Playing Cards), Lions, 5-Point Star. Other abbreviations used are A.L.K.N, L.K.N., A.L.K.Q.N, L.K.,12-11, LK-5, 5-Point Crown with ALKQN across the points and LK-5 below it