![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Gangster_Disciples.gif/640px-Gangster_Disciples.gif&w=640&q=50)
Gangster Disciples
American Street Gang / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Growth & Development" redirects here. For the album by 22Gz, see 22Gz § Musical career.
The Gangster Disciple Nation (often abbreviated as the GD's; formally, GDN), also known as Growth & Development, is an African American street and prison gang founded by former rivals David Barksdale and Larry Hoover; in 1968, the two came together to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation (BGDN).
Quick Facts Founded, Founder ...
![]() | |
Founded | 1969; 55 years ago (1969) (as the Black Gangster Disciple Nation) 1989; 35 years ago (1989) (as the Gangster Disciples) |
---|---|
Founder | Larry Hoover [[]] (BGDN) |
Named after | Supreme Gangsters, Devils Disciples, Black Gangster Disciples |
Founding location | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Years active | 1969–present |
Territory | Northeastern, Midwestern, Southeastern United States, The South African West Coast, Western Cape and Gauteng[1][2] |
Ethnicity | Primarily African American[3] |
Membership (est.) | 25,000–60,000+[4] |
Leader(s) | Larry Hoover (formerly) |
Activities | Drug trafficking, assault, firearms violations, fraud, homicide, money laundering[5] |
Allies | Sureños 13[6] Folk Nation[1] Simon City Royals[7] |
Rivals | Black P. Stones[1] Bloods[6][8] Latin Kings[1] People Nation[1] Vice Lords[1] Mickey Cobras[9] |
Notable members |
Close
Post-1989, following growing tension between the two over declining leadership, the BGDN split into two new factions—Hoover's Gangster Disciple Nation (GDN) and Barksdale's Black Disciple Nation (BDN), respectively. As of 2022, following Hoover's departure, the GDN has no full-time leadership role.[10]