During the 1970s, gangs were prevalent on the streets of Uptown. The Latin Kings (shown here) and Latin Eagles were two big rivals. Other gangs included the Harrison Gents and Gaylords. Though it was sometimes hard to tell a person’s race by the color of his skin, it was clear that some of these gangs were multi-racial despite their names. When I photographed these Latin Kings, I talked to them about guns and violence and asked them how bad it was. On cue, one pulled out a gun, pointed it at his friend’s groin and grabbed him around the neck. The third person raised his fists.
