I grew up on Leavitt street during the 70s and 80s. I went to Sabin Elementary School on Leavitt and Hirsch. I saw the gentrification first hand. I went to school with Tank’s youngest brother. And I was playing in Sabin’s schoolyard when Tank’s other brother was shot. So long ago. This video brought back a lot of memories.
Lots of buildings burned down (mysteriously) and the owners recovered insurance money from it. There was store in a large building at Lawrence and Pulaski that had burned down 5 times in the 80s when I was a kid. My grandfather told it had burned down in the 70s before was born, too. Not the whole building, just the one store.
The brother speaking at around 7:20 isn't wrong. The area did blossom and it is beautiful around there. Just run the building @ 2153 W Schiller and see the price it sold and how gentrification has completely changed that area so he wasn't exactly wrong but you have to give him credit for wanting to make a change even back then. He was well beyond his years. The young lady made some great points as well. We all had to live next to each other.
12:19 Mrs. Salma Maria Herrera is damn right. my grandma was a honest hard working woman her entire life and lived in back of the yards not because she was ghetto and dirty, because she was a puerto rican immigrant cleaning fancy hotel rooms for scraps to try and support all her kids after her husband was killed in an accident. if it werent for my mom being the only one to pull herself, myself, and her mom out of that ghetto for a better life, she likely would still be there. struggling to survive as an honest person in a vicious ghetto
@@jfor7074 absolutely!!! i wish there was a video simply interviewing her, she definitely had valuable things to speak on. she seemed like a wise and well spoken woman more than worthy of the spotlight and the mic
I dont think this is Leavitt and Schiller. I think this is Leavitt and LeMoyne. I wanted to see what the neighborhood looks like today and I pulled it up on Google View. The buildings in Google street view at Levitt and LeMoyne seem to match up more closely to the buildings in the background of this video especially the ones behind the cop car on that corner where the filmakers are talking to them. The street corners on the east side of that area have new buildings which would make sense considering how damaged that one building looks like on the corner at the begniing of the video. The building on the corner of levitt and Schiller does not have the same features like the burned out building on the corner such as the double windws on the corner turret on the second floor. The burned out building has a single window. The burned building is also three floors with a flat roof. The one at the corner of Levitt and Schiller has only two floors and a pointed roof on the turret. Regardless, thank you for posting this video.
That was Latin Kings main section until they moved headquarters to Humboldt Park. Then Insane UnKnowns had that area for a long time after, until Latin Kings opened up a section there again and after yuppies moved in.
The people in this neighborhood don't know just how bad this entire area used to be. You go down Division now and it's nothing but bars and restaurants. Back in the day I wasn't allowed to even look out the window because they would be constantly shooting. I grew up in this area and attended Jose De Diego as a kid. I even had a cousin who was a member of the Unknowns. They all respected my abuelo though.
I grew up on Leavitt street. I lived there until I was thirty. I went to Tuley/Jose de Diego in the late 70’s. And Roberto Clemente in the early 80s. I went to school with Tank’s youngest brother and their cousins.
@@westlove1226 Are you sure about that, I heard TJ passed away? I know Tank (RIP) did in PR (although there was another guy from KTown with the same name too).
Yeah bro he was falling for the bs. The old brother just walked off. He knew what time it was. I'm glad that intelligent lady check that punk with his prejudice and bigot thoughts. Every thing bad is in every Race. We all human.
@gastronomymonk2168 ...Hate to break it too you and I have lived in Chicago for 50 years. First, it is more diverse than years ago and second it is not any more segregated than other places around the country. No one is restricted from moving to a neighborhood or leaving a neighborhood.
@@westlove1226 Not sure his family would want his full name out, he still has family in Chicago. His first name was David though and last name started with M.
Pretty crazy that these guys lost almost every block in the city except K Town. Otherwise they wouldve been the third largest latin Finball mob behind the Kings and Counts
@@samhyde4996 The hoods that were lost was almost entirely though Yuppies moving in and pricing people out. With the exception of Riis Park which intentionally didn’t recruit and wanted to not bring the young kids in the life (didn’t matter, they went into the life anyway but with MLDz and MKz). There were two sets on the south side that stopped before they officially stated too. One was because of the alliances with CDz but that got complicated quick when that went at it with LKs. At least that’s true for the city, the burbs had different issues and are mostly still active.
@@GhostSal There were like 3 south side sets ive heard of one was an attempted branch at Cullerton & California, the other was 33rd & Oakley and lastly they attempted to branch in Marquette Park in the very early 2000s. Infact 33rd was also a failed branch I believe it never took off and idk if it was bc they didnt get along with the Popes or not.
@@samhyde4996 It was actually a shared block with the CDs on Cullerton and Washetnaw, but didn’t take off because of the beef with the LKs that later turned to war. 33rd and Oakley is also correct and that was the only one on 33rd that I’m aware of but I don’t think 33rd was ever official and just faded out. Another set that did take off was in Berwyn and either is still there it was active till pretty recently. Other than that, that’s all I know on the south side. The north side had a lot more than the south side and even the burbs had bigger sets up north. In fact Rockford is deep af. Other than that you have to go out of state to Atlanta, Wisconsin, Michigan and Florida.
So I'm technically an "old head" 48 years old grew up in uptown. I tell people all the time if we had phones or had the funds to purchase cameras we would record everything. Kids don't change you do.
@@Mannyr-bu7qv not true at all I’m older . And I literally took no pictures avoiding cameras, so did all my friends. You can’t even find a year book picture of us cause we always skipped that day! So I don’t know what you are talking about.
Italians and Irish also suffered from racism and discrimination. In fact Italians weren’t even considered “whìte” until after the civil rights movement. Italians are actually the original Latins.
@@GhostSal Italians and Irish did not experience racism and discrimination, how was that possible when they was able to use the whites only water fountain ,white only facilities.. the Irish and Italians were not hung from trees or killed in Sundown towns... the Irish and the Italians were able to start businesses get loans by houses while African-Americans were kept out of this... remind me who was being racist to the Irish in Italians of the white people?? The Italians when the government, prohibition prostitution, the heroin trade, the Irish ran the police force
@@GhostSal the Romans / Italians will always considered white ,I don't know who you think you're talking to.. after the Potato Famine in the 18th and 19th century the Irish and Italians were giving money and land to come over here I'm pretty sure you heard of the Homestead Act if not look it up then you will see that the Irish and the Italians have their way with no problems... when is the Irish person or Italian been ever hung from a tree
@@GhostSal what Catholics are Protestant churches were bombed by African-Americans what massacres were carried out by African-Americans toward the Irish in Italian.. the Irish and Italians came over here and was given land and money under the Homestead Act Italian Irish were able to use the whites only water fountain and whites only facilities and go to White only schools
@@GhostSalthe Irish and Italians were giving money and land to come over here during the Homestead Act in the beginning of the 19th century they were able to use the whites only water fountain and go to White only facilities in schools... the Italian mob ran the US government discriminated against the Irishman police force.. the Irish and Italians were not told where to sit where to walk where to eat where to stand
I grew up on Leavitt street during the 70s and 80s. I went to Sabin Elementary School on Leavitt and Hirsch. I saw the gentrification first hand. I went to school with Tank’s youngest brother. And I was playing in Sabin’s schoolyard when Tank’s other brother was shot. So long ago. This video brought back a lot of memories.
Lots of buildings burned down (mysteriously) and the owners recovered insurance money from it. There was store in a large building at Lawrence and Pulaski that had burned down 5 times in the 80s when I was a kid. My grandfather told it had burned down in the 70s before was born, too. Not the whole building, just the one store.
The brother speaking at around 7:20 isn't wrong. The area did blossom and it is beautiful around there. Just run the building @ 2153 W Schiller and see the price it sold and how gentrification has completely changed that area so he wasn't exactly wrong but you have to give him credit for wanting to make a change even back then. He was well beyond his years. The young lady made some great points as well. We all had to live next to each other.
My Family owned the Store and building on that corner. The Ramos Family! My Family was all Unknowns! It's all,gentrified now!
12:19 Mrs. Salma Maria Herrera is damn right. my grandma was a honest hard working woman her entire life and lived in back of the yards not because she was ghetto and dirty, because she was a puerto rican immigrant cleaning fancy hotel rooms for scraps to try and support all her kids after her husband was killed in an accident. if it werent for my mom being the only one to pull herself, myself, and her mom out of that ghetto for a better life, she likely would still be there. struggling to survive as an honest person in a vicious ghetto
Big shout out to that woman. 🫡Much ❤. She was the STAR of the show.We need people like her in this world.
@@jfor7074 absolutely!!! i wish there was a video simply interviewing her, she definitely had valuable things to speak on. she seemed like a wise and well spoken woman more than worthy of the spotlight and the mic
That's crazy I stood on them exact corners recently and its Yuppies now. Beatuful part of chicago
Your Wright! I work in that area, whole north side change, even Wrigley ville
@@jessecasas1006 I love it!
Lady checked him real quick 💯 10:59
Selma Maria dropped the Mike😮
Awesome footage
First, Abuelita Salma Maria shut it down. Then Barry White comes through singing Ecstasy.
why do it sound like a kid saying "take my phone" at 3:20?
Phone number
I dont think this is Leavitt and Schiller. I think this is Leavitt and LeMoyne. I wanted to see what the neighborhood looks like today and I pulled it up on Google View. The buildings in Google street view at Levitt and LeMoyne seem to match up more closely to the buildings in the background of this video especially the ones behind the cop car on that corner where the filmakers are talking to them. The street corners on the east side of that area have new buildings which would make sense considering how damaged that one building looks like on the corner at the begniing of the video.
The building on the corner of levitt and Schiller does not have the same features like the burned out building on the corner such as the double windws on the corner turret on the second floor. The burned out building has a single window. The burned building is also three floors with a flat roof. The one at the corner of Levitt and Schiller has only two floors and a pointed roof on the turret.
Regardless, thank you for posting this video.
That was Latin Kings main section until they moved headquarters to Humboldt Park. Then Insane UnKnowns had that area for a long time after, until Latin Kings opened up a section there again and after yuppies moved in.
The people in this neighborhood don't know just how bad this entire area used to be. You go down Division now and it's nothing but bars and restaurants. Back in the day I wasn't allowed to even look out the window because they would be constantly shooting. I grew up in this area and attended Jose De Diego as a kid. I even had a cousin who was a member of the Unknowns. They all respected my abuelo though.
I grew up on Leavitt street. I lived there until I was thirty. I went to Tuley/Jose de Diego in the late 70’s. And Roberto Clemente in the early 80s. I went to school with Tank’s youngest brother and their cousins.
It would have been coo if tank or tj was interviewed...
@@RENEGADE-gk9hv TJ can be still be interviewed, he’s still around and working.
@@westlove1226 damn, for real... You should get that interview... thanks for the info...
@@westlove1226 Are you sure about that, I heard TJ passed away? I know Tank (RIP) did in PR (although there was another guy from KTown with the same name too).
I respect Boricua people homeboy
13:10 to 16:59 That vato knows what he is saying even though he's an Insane Unknown, pero I got to give it up to him. Saludos en Tijuana.
This is what " they" want...
Division and discord😢
Yeah bro he was falling for the bs. The old brother just walked off. He knew what time it was. I'm glad that intelligent lady check that punk with his prejudice and bigot thoughts. Every thing bad is in every Race. We all human.
They don’t call it Division Street for nothing. This city seems so diverse but so segregated to this day.
Facts
Not really....you must not live there
@@jordanstiles5791 I live off North State Street right by the McDonalds and Red Line.
@gastronomymonk2168 ...Hate to break it too you and I have lived in Chicago for 50 years. First, it is more diverse than years ago and second it is not any more segregated than other places around the country. No one is restricted from moving to a neighborhood or leaving a neighborhood.
@@jordanstiles5791 bro this place is SEGREGATED.
New subscriber. I am from Chicago but I am not familiar with this area , I had to google it.
@@ElenaKato25or6to4 you weren’t familiar with Wicker Park?
@@westlove1226 I thought it's Humboldt park
@@ElenaKato25or6to4 Leavitt & Schiller falls into Wicker Park, Humboldt Park starts at Western Ave by the Puerto Rican Flag statue.
@@westlove1226 my bad lol
I never heard of this area
Leavitt and Schiller was a popular hood bakk in the days...
❤❤❤❤❤
Went to school with tank and Peter in the late 70s
@@deltonviera2051 what ended up happening to them?
@@westlove1226Tank (RIP) passed away in PR from health issues.
@@GhostSal May he Rest in Peace🕊️! What was his real name?
@@westlove1226 Not sure his family would want his full name out, he still has family in Chicago. His first name was David though and last name started with M.
Pretty crazy that these guys lost almost every block in the city except K Town. Otherwise they wouldve been the third largest latin Finball mob behind the Kings and Counts
@@samhyde4996 The hoods that were lost was almost entirely though Yuppies moving in and pricing people out.
With the exception of Riis Park which intentionally didn’t recruit and wanted to not bring the young kids in the life (didn’t matter, they went into the life anyway but with MLDz and MKz). There were two sets on the south side that stopped before they officially stated too. One was because of the alliances with CDz but that got complicated quick when that went at it with LKs.
At least that’s true for the city, the burbs had different issues and are mostly still active.
@@GhostSal There were like 3 south side sets ive heard of one was an attempted branch at Cullerton & California, the other was 33rd & Oakley and lastly they attempted to branch in Marquette Park in the very early 2000s. Infact 33rd was also a failed branch I believe it never took off and idk if it was bc they didnt get along with the Popes or not.
@@samhyde4996 It was actually a shared block with the CDs on Cullerton and Washetnaw, but didn’t take off because of the beef with the LKs that later turned to war. 33rd and Oakley is also correct and that was the only one on 33rd that I’m aware of but I don’t think 33rd was ever official and just faded out. Another set that did take off was in Berwyn and either is still there it was active till pretty recently. Other than that, that’s all I know on the south side. The north side had a lot more than the south side and even the burbs had bigger sets up north. In fact Rockford is deep af. Other than that you have to go out of state to Atlanta, Wisconsin, Michigan and Florida.
@@samhyde4996I just wanted to clarify, there are other suburban sets still active and West Humboldt is too. Burbs like Waukegan and North Chicago.
@@GhostSal I dont think the Berwyn Unknowns are still active
💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
Unknown 🌟
The Original Motherland of The Almighty Latin Kings Nation🤟👑
@@parvindergill4415 that’s right! Lord Gino’s section
@@westlove1226No King Papo"s section
@@parvindergill4415 Papo’s as well, and King Barons.
@@westlove1226 im a Boulevard from Lil Village was active in the 90s.
@@parvindergill4415 have you watched the 1980’s BLVD video I posted on this channel?
Old heads be like “but we wASNt On ThEm CAmERas THo” 😂 the fuck y’all were and showing those faces. L
Old heads are close minded🤷🏽♂️
What , this is a documentary. Trying to save the communities and bring awareness. Who’s close minded???
So I'm technically an "old head" 48 years old grew up in uptown. I tell people all the time if we had phones or had the funds to purchase cameras we would record everything. Kids don't change you do.
@@Mannyr-bu7qvNo.You’re just close minded🤷🏽♂️
@@Mannyr-bu7qv not true at all I’m older . And I literally took no pictures avoiding cameras, so did all my friends. You can’t even find a year book picture of us cause we always skipped that day! So I don’t know what you are talking about.
I guess you don't know the history of Puerto Rico and who wiped out their people aka the Taino.. I guess you don't know if it was Africans there too
The Spanish Europeans always blame the African Americans but not the racist Italians and irish
Italians and Irish also suffered from racism and discrimination. In fact Italians weren’t even considered “whìte” until after the civil rights movement. Italians are actually the original Latins.
@@GhostSal Italians and Irish did not experience racism and discrimination, how was that possible when they was able to use the whites only water fountain ,white only facilities.. the Irish and Italians were not hung from trees or killed in Sundown towns... the Irish and the Italians were able to start businesses get loans by houses while African-Americans were kept out of this... remind me who was being racist to the Irish in Italians of the white people?? The Italians when the government, prohibition prostitution, the heroin trade, the Irish ran the police force
@@GhostSal the Romans / Italians will always considered white ,I don't know who you think you're talking to.. after the Potato Famine in the 18th and 19th century the Irish and Italians were giving money and land to come over here I'm pretty sure you heard of the Homestead Act if not look it up then you will see that the Irish and the Italians have their way with no problems... when is the Irish person or Italian been ever hung from a tree
@@GhostSal what Catholics are Protestant churches were bombed by African-Americans what massacres were carried out by African-Americans toward the Irish in Italian.. the Irish and Italians came over here and was given land and money under the Homestead Act Italian Irish were able to use the whites only water fountain and whites only facilities and go to White only schools
@@GhostSalthe Irish and Italians were giving money and land to come over here during the Homestead Act in the beginning of the 19th century they were able to use the whites only water fountain and go to White only facilities in schools... the Italian mob ran the US government discriminated against the Irishman police force.. the Irish and Italians were not told where to sit where to walk where to eat where to stand
This guy had good intentions, but in the end the neighborhood got gentrified, but it's okay as long as you vote blue no matter who.😂
This here is prime real estate now