Affiliation: People
Other Names: Black Stones, BPS, Moes, BPSN, ABPSN
Ethnicity: Mostly Black
Colors: Red and Black (Sometimes Green)
Symbols: Pyramid with 21 Bricks, rising Sun, 3rd Eye, Crescent Moon, Number 7, 5 Point Star
Criminal Involvement: Drug Trafficking, Extortion, Robbery, Assault, Armed Robbery, Arson, Theft, Auto Theft, Kidnapping, Shootings, Murder
Location: North Englewood/Sherman Park Neighborhoods, South Shore Neighborhoods, Auburn-Gresham, Calumet, Woodlawn, South Chicago and Burnside Communities
Brief History:
The Blackstone Rangers were founded in the Woodlawn neighborhood on Chicago’s Southside in 1962. The organization was founded by Jeff “Chief Malik” Fort and Eugene “Chief Bull” Hariston. The name “Blackstone” was derived from the street where they were founded on East 64th Street and South Blackstone Avenue. In the mid-1960’s Jeff Fort and Eugene Hariston formed an alliance between 21 street leaders and organizations which became known as “The Main 21”. This effort was meant to form one solid organization among allied groups in what became known as the Black P. Stone Rangers Nation. In about 1968, Eugene Hariston was incarcerated. Jeff Fort became the sole leader of the organization. During this time Jeff Fort became politically involved in the city and the Rangers were able to secure federal funds as a “community organization”. When Hariston was released from prison he wanted to return to being Chief Bull, but Fort wanted to continue being the sole leader of the organization. Because of this confrontation and other reasons this organization went two separate ways. In about 1973-74, Jeff Fort was incarcerated for the misuse of federal funds and sentenced to serve time in federal prison.
In prison, Jeff Fort adopted an Islamic doctrine modeled after that of the Moorish Science Temple for his organization. When he was released, he changed the organizations name to “El Rukns” which was Arabic for “The Stones”. In 1977, the street leader of the Black P. Stones and the leader of the Mickey Cobra Stones who was also a member of the Main 21 were killed. The rumor is that this order was sent from Jeff Fort. While inside, Jeff Fort helped form the “People” alliance, along with leaders of the Vice Lords and Latin Kings street gangs.
Today, the Black P. Stones are the second largest street gang on the Southside of Chicago and have an estimated membership of 22,000 on the streets and in the prison systems. They control a large portion of the North Englewood/Sherman Park neighborhood, South Shore neighborhood, as well as strongholds in the Auburn-Gresham, Calumet, Woodlawn, South Chicago, and Burnside communities.