Known Aliases: GD, GDN, Growth & Development, Insane Gangster Disciples (IGD), New Breed (splinter faction), Black Gangster Disciples (historical predecessor)
Origin: Englewood, South Side, Chicago, Illinois — circa 1968. Founded through the merger of the Black Gangster Disciple Nation (led by David Barksdale) and the Supreme Gangsters (led by Larry Hoover). Consolidated under Hoover's singular command following Barksdale's death in 1974.
Active Regions: Primary AOR: Illinois (Chicago metropolitan area), Indiana (Gary, Indianapolis), Michigan (Detroit, Kalamazoo), Wisconsin (Milwaukee). Secondary AOR: Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia (Atlanta metro), Tennessee (Memphis, Nashville), North Carolina, Missouri (St. Louis). Documented federal presence in 50+ U.S. cities across 35 states. Operational footprint within federal and state correctional systems nationwide.
Known Alliances: Folk Nation, various Crip sets (regional)
Known Rivalries: Black Disciples (BD) — primary inter-organizational rival since the 1974 Barksdale/Hoover schism. Vice Lords (AVLN) — sustained territorial conflict across Chicago's West and South Sides. Black P. Stone Nation (BPSN) — People Nation-aligned adversary. Mickey Cobras — factional disputes in Chicago. Latin Kings — localized territorial conflicts.
Primary Identifiers: Colors: Black and blue (royal blue). Symbols: Six-pointed Star of David, pitchforks (pointed upward, signifying 'rising'), heart with wings, three-pronged tail, number 6 and 360 (representing '360 degrees of knowledge'). Numeric codes: 274 (BG = Black Gangster), 7-4 (GD). Tattoos: Six-pointed star on chest or shoulder, crossed pitchforks on hands/forearms, 'All Is Well' motto, 'GD' or 'Insane' script. Apparel: Duke University (blue devil), Georgetown (G), Dallas Cowboys (star), Detroit Tigers (D). Hand signs: Pitchfork formed with fingers pointed upward. Graffiti: Inverted and broken rival symbols (five-pointed stars cracked, canes broken).
Executive Summary:
The Gangster Disciples (GD) constitute one of the most structurally sophisticated criminal street organizations in the United States. Established circa 1968 on Chicago's South Side through the amalgamation of the Black Gangster Disciple Nation and the Supreme Gangsters, the organization operated under the consolidated command of Larry Hoover following co-founder David Barksdale's 1974 death. The GD operational hierarchy mirrors a corporate command structure, utilizing ranks including Chairman, Board of Directors, Governors, Regents, and Coordinators to manage illicit revenue streams across multiple state jurisdictions. Hoover continued to direct organizational strategy from federal custody (ADX Florence) until enhanced communications restrictions were imposed.
Primary criminal enterprises include large-scale narcotics trafficking (cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and synthetic opioids), weapons procurement and distribution, extortion, armed robbery, identity fraud, and contract violence. The organization maintains a documented presence in over 35 states and is classified as a Tier 1 threat by the National Gang Intelligence Center. The GD network leverages the Folk Nation alliance for territorial coordination but operates with significant autonomy. Multiple federal RICO indictments — including Operation Headache (1995), which resulted in Hoover's life sentence — have disrupted upper-echelon leadership, yet decentralized cell-based structures have enabled sustained operational continuity at the street level.