white street youth (Chicago, Lincoln: shop, horse, title)

[Chi-town Native]

The Reader recently put this up, thought folks here would appreciate it:

Skinheads | Feature | Chicago Reader

[5Lakes]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

The Reader recently put this up, thought folks here would appreciate it:

Skinheads | Feature | Chicago Reader

Interesting read. Hard to imagine skinhead hooligans wondering around Lincoln Park and Lakeview these days. Pretty telling of how this area must have changed from 20 years ago. As a non-native I think it would have been pretty interesting to see those neighborhoods back then.

[Drover]

That part of Lincoln Park hasn't changed a great deal. It's gone a bit more up-market and more chain stores have moved in, but it's been a safe and stable area for a long time. Belmont and Clark... that area was a little more edgy. The one mainstay lingering element of the punk/skin era is The Alley.

As for the article itself, as with many Reader articles, I lost interest after the 382nd paragraph.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Drover

That part of Lincoln Park hasn't changed a great deal. It's gone a bit more up-market and more chain stores have moved in, but it's been a safe and stable area for a long time. Belmont and Clark... that area was a little more edgy. The one mainstay lingering element of the punk/skin era is The Alley.

where LV & LP meet has always had a certain crazy element due to the lakefront - it's where homeless teens & adults often congregate (or at least used to) in the warmer months.

I loved the reference in the story to "Belmont & Sheffield," which was actually how all of my friends referred to it. The Dunkin Donuts was where the suburbanites/kids from other parts of the city went - those of us from the neighborhood had more options (that friend who's parents traveled a lot, worked out of town, etc).

I'd have to say that while the Alley is one mainstay, the mainstay edginess award goes to the phalanx of tranny hookers you can still find out there in the wee hours.

And LOL on the critique of the article length - it was long. Of course, then I look at recent issues and they've gone 180 degrees in the other direction. Not sure which is worse.

[Ilovegermany]

Originally Posted by scottyr

I am writing a story that takes place in mid-1990s Chicago and i was wondering what neighborhood at this time would you be most likely to find grungy white teenage dropouts that live on the streets or in youth shelters. Was/is there any white-dominated neighborhoods that are rough for teenagers? thanks

Well I was a white street kid back in 2003-2005 not sure if that helps but there is still a large population or train hoper youth out there. I enjoyed it and made many great memories it was all fun and good. The only down side was that once we made it to Chicago we had to live among the black people. That was not so bad but still not comfortable. Honestly, to any black person that will read this, PLEASE think about how you present yourself, being a thug isn't cool or fun!

I had my phase as a street kid then of course went back home and started to get my life together. What you do makes you who you are if you value the lessons learned and I had fun!

[chitown85]

A lot of the white gangs from Lincoln Park and Lakeview and the SW Side such as the Almighty Chicago Gaylords, Almighty Popes, Simon City Royals, C Notes, 12th St. Players, are still in business, but have mostly become Hispanic. There are still white members, mostly Irish and some Polish, but the majority are Hispanic. The Gaylords are still around actually, just in tiny numbers. Except for the Simon City Royals, all of the major former white gangs are mostly affiliated with the People, while the Royals are Folks. The Latin Kings also have a larger Polish contingent due to many neighborhoods being Hispanic and Polish on the north side, SW side and in the burbs.

As for the skinheads, Chicago has always been a big skinhead haven among southernors. The East Coast cities are seen as too ethnic and the other midwest cities too small. Chicago for some reason is not seen as ethnic and not as threatening to white power types. Not sure why though. Most of the white power individuals tend to be southern. Also not surprising is the fact they hang around the North Side. It's where they feel most safe. They can't march or demonstrate or pass out materials on the South or West side. Northsiders in LP and Lakeview usually are not confrontational beyond a few verbal insults. Plus the North Side attracts media coverage and hits the economic powerhouses as well. I've seen some local white power types way up in the far reaches of Lake and McHenry though.

[mas23]

Originally Posted by chitown85

A lot of the white gangs from Lincoln Park and Lakeview and the SW Side such as the Almighty Chicago Gaylords, Almighty Popes, Simon City Royals, C Notes, 12th St. Players, are still in business, but have mostly become Hispanic. There are still white members, mostly Irish and some Polish, but the majority are Hispanic. The Gaylords are still around actually, just in tiny numbers. Except for the Simon City Royals, all of the major former white gangs are mostly affiliated with the People, while the Royals are Folks. The Latin Kings also have a larger Polish contingent due to many neighborhoods being Hispanic and Polish on the north side, SW side and in the burbs.

As for the skinheads, Chicago has always been a big skinhead haven among southernors. The East Coast cities are seen as too ethnic and the other midwest cities too small. Chicago for some reason is not seen as ethnic and not as threatening to white power types. Not sure why though. Most of the white power individuals tend to be southern. Also not surprising is the fact they hang around the North Side. It's where they feel most safe. They can't march or demonstrate or pass out materials on the South or West side. Northsiders in LP and Lakeview usually are not confrontational beyond a few verbal insults. Plus the North Side attracts media coverage and hits the economic powerhouses as well. I've seen some local white power types way up in the far reaches of Lake and McHenry though.

i've heard of white skin heads in the suburbs of eastern cities. Chicago has a big ethnic white population tho (except the transplants) so i wonder why they would come....

[5Lakes]

I have heard that the east coast has more skinhead types, mostly affiliated with the Hardcore/Punk scene that is bigger out that way than in the Midwest. This is what I have been told from people I know from Boston and Philly, and I also seem to remember watching a documentary about it once.

The only place that I have ever personally seen true white power skins is in Southern California. There are gangs there that hang out at some of the beach towns and in the more inland communities.

[chitown85]

Go up to Fox Lake and Lake Villa areas, you will see some. The Inland Empire of California (San Bernardino and Riverside Counties) has a white power gang problem. In Chicago, most of the whites in gangs were not and are not white supremacists. They don't sport KKK symbols or Swastikas. In parts of California, they do. They generally try to mimick the clothing of Hispanic Cholo gangs in California claiming they started it; knee high socks, nike, reebok, or adidas shoes, shaved head, and jerseys or plaid button down shirts.

[Alacran]

Heres a youtube video of some white kids that where squatter/homeless kids that roamed the streets in Chicago.

I think it's from the 90s


YouTube - SQUATTERS IN CHICAGO AND THEIR ADDICTION TO HEROIN PART 1 OF 2