Vice Lords has no followers yet. Be the first one to follow.
Today the CVL has between 30,000 and 40,000 members just in Chicago and its near suburbs. There are thousands more in other states and in prison. The CVL are now one of the most violent gangs in Chicago.
After adopting an Islamic doctrine, the Vice Lords, along with their fellow gang ELRUKNS, began using the crecent moon as their symbol. Other symbols they used are the 5 point star, playboy bunny, top hat, pimp cane and champagne glass.
The CVL joined the people alliance, an alliance between several Chicago street gangs, which the CVL helped found. All CVL factions were forced to join the alliance.
The CVL split into separate gangs each with their own leader. One faction in particular, the VLN, opened membership to all races; but diversity within the gang was not noticeable until the late 80's.
Funding for the CVL ended and CVL clubs and businesses were forced to close down. With no more positive leaders, the CVL made a turn for the worse and became a violent gang again.
The first white member, David Dawley moved back to the east coast in the fall of 1969. He did send money back to the CVL, but that did not compensate for the loss of such a great and influential member. Soon after, Bobby Gore, the spokesman, was falsely arrested for a murder and sentenced to between 25 and 40 years in jail. Then Alfonso Alford, who was the president, died of a stroke. Soon after, Edward Perry quit as a leader.
Some of the leaders went to Washington DC to ask for grants from the government. They wanted money to open businesses, social clubs and educational programs. Upon receiving the money, the CVLs were able to open up places for kids to go after school and do their homework in a safe environment. They encouraged kids to recycle along with staying off the streets. They gave adults an opportunity to earn their GED, as well as provided job training. The CVL's wanted to improve the poverty stricken Lawndale neighborhoods, and help the people in them.
The motives of the gang took a 180 degree turn when the leaders decided that they wanted to improve their neighborhood and help the children. Bobby Gore, who was an original member, became spokesman because of his positive goals to change the gangs reputation and help the Lawndale neighborhood. In the same year, David Dawley became the first white CVL. The Vice Lords changed so much that they no longer wanted to be considered a gang. They now wanted to be an organization whose sole purpose was to improve the community.
Eight out of 26 leaders met together and decided that the way the Vice Lords were progressing would be bad for the gangs future. That is when they decided to become the Conservative Vice Lords or CVL's. The leaders now wanted the gang to head in a positive direction.
After the members of the athletic club were released from jail in 1958, the gang started attacking neighborhoods. They were very violent and committed crimes such as, mugging, robbing, murdering and theft. They also took part in brutal battles against enemy gangs. By the mid 1960's, they had 8,000 members.
Edward Pepilow Perry founded the gang, with Alfonso Alfred as the first chief.
On the West side of Chicago in the early 1950's, there was an athletic club called the 14th street clovers. When some of the members were put in jail, they banded together with other inmates from the lawndale neighborhood. They made a goal to unite the north, south and west side lawndale men. They were to call the united men the Vice Lords.
Update Sources