Latin Souls Nation

Latin Souls Nation is a Folks Mob made up of mostly latinos.

Their colors are Burgundy & Black

Their symbols include a Spanish Cross w/3 dots on each end (symbolizing courage and pride), 6 point Star

Some of their spin off sets include The Outlaws

Their founder is Pancho

The Latin Souls originated in the New City community on Chicago's Southside in 1964. The Latin Souls were founded by Hector Sanchez, also known as "Pancho", and possibly a former member of the Soul Brothers street gang. The gang initially operated in the vicinity of 55th & Halsted. The Latin Souls were formed by Latino youth as a necessity of protection against White street gangs and emerging Black street gangs, particularly the Black Stone Rangers. As the ethnicity in the community shifted from Mexican to Black, the Latin Souls relocated their stronghold to the Back of the Yards community along the 49th street corridor. In the early 1970's, the Latin Souls began to feud with the Saints street gang over racial issue's, due to the fact the Saints were still a predominant Polish street gang at the time. Throughout the 1970's and early 1980's, the Latin Souls and Saints fought a long-standing war in which many lives were lost on both sides. In the late 1970's, the People and Folks alliances were formed and the Latin Souls found themselves to be rivals of several People allied street gangs. In the early 1980's, the Latin Souls established ties to the Ambrose and Gangster Two-Six street gang's. In the early-to-mid 1980's, the Latin Souls joined the Folks alliance. The Latin Souls were also briefly allied to the Satan Disciples and La Raza street gang's. However, by the early 1990's, several interalliance gang wars erupted throughout the Back of the Yards community, and the Latin Souls were forced to befriend the Satan Disciples and La Raza street gang as acts of violence were carried out by the oppostion. The Satan Disciples implemented that the Latin Souls were not to hang-out in the vicinity of Cornell Square Park in which the Satan Disciples considered their drug territory. A war was initiated by the Satan Disciples, however, the war escalated when a member of the Satan Disciples was shot and killed by a member of the Latin Souls. The Latin Souls encountered many rivals in the early 1990's and at one point were an extremely active organization, engaging in consistent drive-by shootings and assault to protect their stronghold.

In the early 1990's, the Latin Souls developed operations in the Marquette Park community aside their ally, the Ambrose street gang. The Latin Souls operated in the vicinity of 65th & Sacramento. The Latin Souls have been referred to as "1st-Cousins" with the Ambrose on the streets, and in the Marquette Park neighborhoods both gang's commonly shared drug corners. The Ambrose and Party People street gang were fighting a pre-existing war in the area, which instantly caused the Latin Souls and Party People to be at odds. While the Latin Souls in the Back of the Yards community were fighting an intense war with rivals, the Marquette Park section became highly involved in a turf war with the Party People street gang. The war even spread its influence into the correctional facilities where members of both gang's were wounded and possibly killed. In 1995, the Latin Souls founding member, Hector "Pancho" Sanchez, died of a heart attack during his sleep. By the late 1990's, the Latin Souls were forced to abandon their operations in the Marquette Park community due to gang violence and police intensity. In 1999, the Latin Souls expanded their operations into the Mount Greenwood community. The Latin Souls established a presence along the 111th street corridor, roughly from Western-to-Pulaski. However, in 2001, the Latin Souls suffered a blow to their organization when an investigation was conducted that lead to key incarcerations among the gangs hierarchy. Among them were "Criminal G", "Lil Folks", and "Sir DK", which held positions in the Back of the Yards and Mount Greenwood community. In result, the Chicago Police Department focused on the Latin Souls street gangs operations, and more and more members were arrested over time. This would include "Krazy Dog", who shortly after assumed leadership over the organization when the previous incarcerations took place. These events caused a significant decline in the gangs activity and organization on the streets. The Latin Souls have been a fierce gang at times and have made the news several times due to shootings excerted in the community.

The Chicago Police Department has targeted the gang intensely over the past decade, which has caused a significant role in crippling the leadership, stability, and size of the organization. Never the less, the gang continues to exercise a well known presence in the Back of the Yards community, however, the Mount Greenwood section operates discreetly due to recent community changes. The Latin Souls are small in number, although they are known to engage in violence to protect their turf. In the last decade, the Latin Souls have developed few satellite chapters in several states including Missouri, Florida, and Texas. The Latin Souls chapter in St.Louis, Missouri may also be known as the Latin Soul Crime Family. As recent as 2005, the Latin Souls began to experience a divide in membership as some sections began to feud with allied street gangs such as the Ambrose, Gangster Two-Six, and Two-Two Boys. The Latin Souls section in the vicinity of 49th & Hermitage have adopted the "Outlaw" prefix to their gang titles in substitute for the traditional "Insane" moniker. The Latin Souls principle enemies have consisted of the Saints, Party Players, Satan Disciples, Party People, La Raza, and City Knightz street gang's. The gangs primary criminal involvement has consisted of graffiti, drug trafficking, assault, armed robbery, theft, auto theft, arson, shootings, and murder.