Popes (gang)
Encyclopedia
Early history
The Popes, also now known as the Insane Popes and originally the Almighty Popes, are a ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
street gang, formed in the late 1950s on the north side of the city
Community areas of Chicago
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago into 77 community areas. These areas are well-defined and static...
.
Expansion
By the mid 1970s the Popes main membership consisted of many GreeksGreek American
Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...
from the Albany Park
Albany Park, Chicago
Albany Park is one of 77 well-defined Chicago, Illinois, community areas on the Northwest Side of the City of Chicago. It includes the Albany Park neighborhood, one of the most ethnically diverse in the United States...
/Lincoln Square neighborhood, and German, Irish, and Scandinavians in the Portage Park, Jefferson Park, and Mayfair neighborhoods. At their peak in the mid-1960s to early 1970s, they had 300-500 members.
Insane South Side Popes
In the mid 1970s, the Pope's leader, Larry "Larkin" Morris, started a new Popes branch on the south side.In 1975, Larkin was killed by members of the Almighty Gaylords. The north side Insane Popes formed even stronger alliance with the Simon City Royals
Simon City Royals
The Simon City Royals, formally the Almighty Simon City Royal Nation, are a Chicago street gang which began in the late 1950s as Simon City, a greaser gang...
, and called this "first cousin" relationship Royal /Pope /Nation (RPN). The Royals joined Folk Nation and the Insane Popes eventually did also. However, the south side branch, who hated the Satan Disciples and Two Six gangs who were also Folk members, became a renegade faction, even going so far as to join the rival People Nation
People Nation
People Nation is an alliance of street gangs generally associated with the Chicago area. They are rivals to the Folk Nation.The People Nation were formed much in the same way as the Folk Nation. In 1978, the El Rukns People Nation is an alliance of street gangs generally associated with the Chicago...
collective.
Modern day
Today the north side Popes main rivals are the Latin Kings and the south side Popes main rivals are the Satan Disciples. Today there are about 100-200 active members of the north side Insane Popes.The North Side Popes remain allied with the Folk Nation, while the south side Popes remain allied with the People Nation. South side Popes wear Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
apparel. North side Popes wear baby-blue and black, showing allegiance to other Folks gangs (these were Pope colors from the start), particularly the Simon City Royals with whom they retain close ties although the official unity of Royal/Pope/Nation (RPN) has been dissolved.