I just watched a History Channel special this past weekend called “Gangland: Stone to the Bone” about the Blackstone Rangers. It’s all about how the gang life began in Chicago, and chronicles the life and history of the founding member, Jeff Fort.
And just today, Congressman Bobby Rush from Illinois came on TV and warned against the implications of NOT seating a black man in the Illinois Senate seat, which was vacated by Barack Obama. Shortly thereafter, the talk of Rush being a member of the Black Panther Party starting ringing some bells to me, and it drew me back to the History Channel special I had just watched. So, I decided to do a little research.
But what is the connection with the Black Panther Party, the Blackstone P Rangers (a.k.a. El Rukn), Jeff Foot and Bobby Rush? Let’s take a look at a few interesting documents, shall we?
Excerpts from Zoominfo on Jeff Fort:
On about December 18, 1968, Jeff Fort and other Blackstone Rangers were involved in a serious confrontation with members of the Black Panther Party.