Black Guerrilla Family

Black Guerrilla Family (BGF) prison gang is one of the most politically revolutionary prison and street gangs in the United States. It has evolved into a highly sophisticated criminal enterprise that not only controls criminal activities inside prison walls but also controls street gangs operating outside prison walls. It is one of the most violent, federal racketeering enterprises in the United States. This article reviews the background, evolution, and philosophy of the BGF.

Background

The BGF emerged in 1966 at San Quentin State Prison in California. The BGF’s founder, George Jackson, organized the gang as a show of opposition to the prison’s injustice toward Black inmates and as an effort to provide protection for Black inmates from other prison gangs such as the Aryan Brotherhood. He recruited prison gang members, advocating that their crimes were merely acts of survival in a White-dominated, capitalistic society. He further argued that the legal system was stacked by a White capitalistic government in an attempt to suppress and keep black at the bottom of the socioeconomic status levels. As of 2017, approximately 500 BGF prison gang members oversee an estimated 50,000 members of allied criminal street gangs throughout the United States.

Prior to incarceration, Jackson was a member of the violent Black Panther Party. In prison, he specifically recruited gang members from the Black Panther Party, the Black Muslims, and the Republic of New Africa to join what was then called the Black Family or the Black Vanguard. In the 1960s, the Black Family merged with the Black Panther Party and the Black United Movement to form what is now called the BGF.

Revolutionary Political Philosophy

The BGF is anti-White and considers law enforcement, correctional officers, and the U.S. government as enemies. All BGF members must be African American. As one of the most politically oriented prison gangs in the United States, the BGF subscribes to a blend of Karl Marx’s and Vladimir Lenin’s political ideology.

Marxism is an economic, social, and political philosophy that advocates revolution and forceful overthrow of class structures to establish a dictatorship of the proletariat workers called socialism. Through this class struggle, Marxists believe that society will develop from bourgeois oppression under capitalism to form a classless, socialistic society. This socialistic society governs without a governing class or structure to ultimately create the foundation for a communistic society.

Similarly, Leninism advocates the democratic organization of a revolutionary vanguard party that will advance a dictatorship of the proletariat class as political prelude to the establishment of socialism. Its founder, Vladimir Lenin, advocated political insurrections, the overthrow of capitalism, and establishment of a socialistic society that would ultimately evolve into communism. As stated by Lenin, “The goal of socialism is communism.” He was a Russian communist revolutionary who led the Bolshevik revolution and later became Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

In that the BGF prison gang subscribes to a blend of Marxist–Leninist revolutionary philosophy, it openly advocates the use of violence in the class struggle to overthrow the White-dominated, bourgeois capitalistic U.S. government. This economic class struggle is believed to be the political reform platform that will lead to revolution and the eventual development of a classless society leading to socialism and ultimately communism. The prison gang’s stated goals are to

• maintain dignity in prison,
• overthrow the U.S. government, and
• eradicate racism.

This revolutionary, antiestablishment political philosophy serves to create an us against them mentality. Prison officials and the U.S. government are against African Americans, and the BGF is anti-prison, antiestablishment, and antigovernment. This us against them mentality serves to create solidarity among African American inmates. It also unites BGF members in the political war against prison control and oppression by the capitalistic U.S. government.

Violence and Revolutionary Goals

In the us against them conflict, the BGF is willing to use asymmetrical violence to overcome prison control and government suppression. In fact, the name itself, Black Guerrilla Family, is revolutionary based and infers the use of guerrilla warfare.

For example, FBI records reveal that the BGF advocates the use of knives, guns, and guerrilla tactics to bring about the overthrow of the U.S. government. This antiestablishment and anti-prison mentality is reflected in the BGF gang’s signature tattoo—a tattoo of a black dragon overcoming a prison or a prison tower. Another favorite tattoo is BGF tattooed over a rifle crossed with a bloody sword. Even more tattoos, such as crossed sabers and a shotgun, further represent the prison gang’s willingness to use violence against prison officials to achieve their revolutionary goals.

Oath

As noted, the BGF prison gang is openly militant. Members must subscribe to a “blood in, blood out” death oath that requires loyalty to the prison gang for life. The oath sets forth, on five occasions, that the penalty for disobedience or disloyalty to the BGF Code of Conduct includes sanctions such as fines, physical beatings, stabbings, and death. This “blood in, blood out” oath reads as follows:

If I should ever break my stride, or falter at my comrade’s side,

This oath will kill me.

If ever my word should ever prove untrue, should I betray the chosen few, This oath will kill me.

If I submit to greed or lust or misuse the people’s trust,

This oath will kill me.

Should I be slow to take a stand or show fear of any man,

This oath will kill me.

If I grow lax in discipline, in time of strife refuse my hand,

This oath will kill me.

Long live the spirit of comrade George Jackson,

Long live the spirit of the Black Guerrilla Family.

(FBI Director, 1980)

The oath also references Marxist and Leninist political philosophy. The term comrade is referenced in the first sentence, and founding member George Jackson is referenced as comrade George Jackson. In this context, the word comrade references a fellow socialist or communist who subscribes to Marxist or Leninist political ideology. These terms evidence the BGF’s open support for overthrow of the U.S. government and establishment of a communistic society.

BGF members must also memorize and recite a “Death Oath” affirming the “struggle to eradicate the evils and injustices bestowed upon the masses by the despotic ruling classes” and calling for the “uncompromising destruction” of Western civilization. The oath of membership concludes with an acknowledgment that “an oath is a sacred pledge that binds a guerrilla for life” (FBI Director, 1980).

Evolution Into a Criminal Enterprise

Even today, the BGF prison gang advances Marxist and Leninist political ideologies. However, the BGF is now focused on profitable gang-related criminal enterprises. This is especially true for BGF members who operate outside prison walls. On the streets, the Marxist–Lenin political revolution has been moved to the back burner. Gang-related criminal activities, such as trafficking in narcotics, have taken over the front burner. The BGF has moved from its foundation of political revolution to extremely sophisticated criminal enterprises that transact drug-trafficking and gang-related criminal operations on national and international levels.

Surprisingly, many of these street crimes are controlled from inside prison walls. In return for protection services for incarcerated street gang inmates, the BGF prison gang requires taxes (percentages of gang-related profits) from allied street gangs. If an allied street gang refuses to pay taxes, the BGF merely issues a green light requiring all prison and allied street gangs to harass, physically abuse, and even murder members of the noncompliant street gang.

Psychological Power and Control

The psychological power and control exerted by the BGF prison gang is enormous. Through the protection racket, the BGF is able to control criminal activity that occurs both inside and outside prison walls. One such example occurred in 2008 when BGF member Travon White entered the Baltimore City Detention Center. White was able to bribe or threaten correctional officials to the degree that he maintained an office, fully equipped with computers and cell phones, while incarcerated. In addition, White controlled which inmates received working positions, cleaning cells and preparing food. This facilitated smuggling operations for tobacco, cell phones, heroin, crack, and marijuana with impunity from correctional facility rules and regulations.

While incarcerated, White had ongoing sexual relations with four female correctional officers and fathered five children by the female correctional officers. One correctional officer provided home-cooked meals each day, often including lobster and wine. Another female officer had “White” tattooed on her wrist and another had White’s name tattooed on her neck.

In essence, White was able to run the prison by bribing correctional officers through paying rent and giving gifts such as a Mercedes-Benz to correctional officers. One female correctional officer testified she received US$16k a week for her services.

The Baltimore correctional facility became a mini-city with its own culture. Unlike the neighborhood low-income housing facilities, it had heat, electricity, clean beds, cell phones, snacks, three hot meals a day, cable television, and video games like PlayStation Basketball. It even afforded employment opportunities whereby inmates controlled gang-related criminal operations on the streets. As stated by former Baltimore Police Department Commissioner Anthony W. Batt, “We’re arresting people and sending them right into the den of that gang haven. We’re basically helping them (the BGF Family) recruit by arresting people” (Marimow & Herman, 2013).

In 2013, White and other BGF members, along with 13 prison guards at the Baltimore City Detention Center, were indicted on federal Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organizations Act conspiracy charges that included trafficking in controlled substances, battery, threats of violence, intimidation, extortion, bribery, armed robberies, money laundering, retaliation against witnesses, and obstruction of justice. Thirteen prison guards were charged with helping the BGF run a drug-trafficking and money-laundering operation at the detention center. Because of a plea bargain, White, the kingpin of the BGF jail gang, received only 12 years in prison followed by 3 years of unsupervised release.

Organization and Structure

As noted, the BGF subscribes to a Marxist– Leninist political philosophy. The command structure consists of a Central Committee, Field of Generals, Captains of Security, Captains of Arms, Captains of Squads, Lieutenants, and Soldiers. At the bottom of the command structure, the Soldier is any inmate who is willing to align with the BGF and fight for BGF principles. Since the BGF is a prison gang, there is a never-ending source of Soldiers as new inmates arrive on a daily basis.

Any attempts to dismantle the BGF by transferring prison gang members to a different prison are seldom successful. Instead of dismantling the prison gang, relocation merely provides a new location to establish a BGF prison gang set. As stated in the BGF oath, the transplanted BGF gang member is duty bound to assume the position of Regional General, create a new BGF prison gang at the relocation prison, and attempt to maintain contact with the BGF prison gang in the former prison. This serves to further spread BGF prison gang political philosophy from one prison to another.

Psychological Control Over the BGF Soldier

The BGF provides protection for members from predatory inmates, social support, a sense of belonging, access to smuggled prison contraband, and even opportunities to have sex with prison guards or visitors while incarcerated. The contraband includes access to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, cell phones, and even video games.

Membership in the BGF prison gang also generates a sense of power and control, both inside and outside prison walls. This enhanced power and control combined with a sense of self-identity replaces the isolation and removal of self-worth that occurs when one is issued a number, prison clothes, and relocated to a prison cell. It also serves to psychologically bond the new member to more veteran prison gang members.

Consequently, the gang becomes paramount in the gang member’s life. The disciplinary beliefs of the BGF are as follows:

• The individual is subordinate to the family.
• The minority is subordinate to the majority.
• The lower level is subordinate to the higher level.
• The entire membership is subordinate to the Central Committee.

The BGF constitutional section on Exemplary Punishment sets forth a death sentence to any member who disobeys the constitution, rules, and disciplinary beliefs of the gang. Without provisions for due process, the constitution states “the Generals, for security reasons, may order and have a sentence of death carried out against a member for violation of one of the above laws” (FBI Director, 1980).

Alliances

The BGF allies with politically oriented groups or criminal gangs that share similar revolutionary philosophies. The BGF also allies with criminal street gangs that serve to enhance drug distribution routes or other gang-related criminal activities. These allies include the Black Liberation Army, Gangster Disciples, the Symbionese Liberation Army, Nuestra Familia, the Weather Underground, and many other African American street gangs (e.g., Bloods, Black Gangster Disciples, Crips). The BGF also aligns with the Hispanic Nuestra Familia when it is beneficial for smuggling or drug operations.

Adversaries

The BGF’s written constitution clearly identifies the Aryan Brotherhood and the Mexican Mafia (EME) as enemies. In fact, the constitution identifies the Aryan Brotherhood and the Mexican Mafia as tools of the American correctional system that serve to suppress the African American society. In addition, the BGF considers the American Mafia and the Texas Syndicate to be enemies.

References:

1. Baker, T. (2012). North American criminal gangs: Street, prison, outlaw motorcycle and drug trafficking organizations. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press.
2. FBI Director. (1980, March 5). Black Guerilla Family. (U.S. Government, Producer, & The Federal Bureau of Investigation: FBI Files) Retrieved January 17, 2016, from https://archive.org/details/BlackGuerillaFamily/%20Black%20Guerilla%20Family%2003_djvu.txt?view=theater
3. Marimow, A., & Hermann, P. (2013, July 15). How the Black Guerrilla Family gang took root in Maryland’s prisons. Retrieved August 15, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/how-the-black-guerrilla-family-gang-took-root-in-marylands-prisons/2013/07/15/cc4a9d92-cee7-11e2-9f1a-1a7cdee20287_story.html
4. Toobin, J. (2014, April 14). This is my jail: Where gang members and their female guards set the rules. New Yorker, Letter from Baltimore. Retrieved on August 17, 2016 from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/04/14/this-is-my-jail
5. Wilds, M. (2011). A quick reference guide to gang symbols (2nd ed.). Dallas, TX: Imprimatur Press.

Websites

1. Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Gang Intelligence Center. (2015). National Gang Report. Retrieved from https://www.hsdl.org/c/abstract/?docid=792574
2. Federal Bureau of Investigations. (2011). National gang threat assessment–emerging trends. Retrieved from https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/2011-national-gang-threat-assessment

Court Cases

1. United States of America v. Travon White, 1:13-cr-00151-ELH (D.Ct. MD 2013).