EFFORTPOST A Comprehensive History of Parkway Gardens Homes

I have been away for a very long time, wodie. It would be therapeutic for me to explain why, but I don't think I have the words to fully explain where my mind has been. Sometimes, I feel so happy and content that I believe I don't need anything or anybody. I'm content to just exist, and that's enough for me. It's a great, unnatural kind of joy that warms me from the inside. I was fuelled by this happiness, but it did not last forever. Soon after, I grew paranoid about my surroundings. I didn't trust my coworkers, and I was certain they were disappointed with me. Wodie, I was terrified of the road, and I did everything in my power to avoid driving or having to leave my apartment in general. I was also haunted by terrible memories, and my mind would not stop replaying my most horrible moments repeatedly. This period of my life was dark, and I found myself more isolated than ever. Then the storm passed, and I was happy again, and I didn't need anyone or anything. I felt bulletproof and full of creativity. This helped me at work because I could think of interesting solutions to problems. I also did a few fricked up things and got into trouble, but I don't want to talk about it. It's like I improved and destroyed my life in one go.

From this period in my life, it is evident that I am possessed by my emotions. However, my emotions are not tied to anything rational. They fluctuate and shift with no rhyme or reason, causing my life to be in a constant state of chaos. Now, I'm left struggling to stitch together a singular coherent identity. I'm scared of all the humans around me. I know they're judging me because of my erratic behaviour and they recognise there's something off about me. Wodie, I didn't even last 6 months into my current job, and I've already irreparably socially ostracised myself. Oh, and in case you're wondering, my transgressions include:

• Misogyny

• Staying home on random days without warning

• Not handing in forms because I don't understand them and when I did they were incorrectly filled in

• Failure to correctly handle financial documents

• Offending coworkers

Before we go on, let me defend myself by saying that yes, I do appreciate how my email could be interpreted as misogynistic but I did not intend to hurt anybody's feelings and I did provide academic references for the points I made. One time, I was in my office, and I heard my coworkers standing outside my door and talking. I heard my name come up a few times, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. However, they did not sound impressed. In fact, they sounded kind of pissed. It's over. Never began, wodie.

Anyway, let's discuss my latest obsession. It might be a little strange, but my obsession lies with a series of apartment buildings. I'm referring to Parkway Gardens Homes in Chicago, USA.

Fun fact, on Groomercord, I used to be in a server with a few transexuals I met on /LGBT/ on 4chan. One of the transwomen was from Chicago and she lived in a homeless shelter. Another user was underage and he posted bussy. I left the server after a transwoman I had gotten friendly with suddenly snapped and was mean to me out of the blue. I was like wtf wodie, I thought we were cool. Sorry for that digression.

In this post, I'd like to discuss the history of Parkway Gardens Homes as well as some of the notable residents who have lived there. This is going to be a long post, wodie, so please don't be afraid to break it down into pieces and read it over a number of days. The post will be divided into the following chapters:

1. The Creation of Parkway Gardens Homes

2. The Culture of Parkway Gardens Homes

3. Parkway Gardens Homes Today

4. Conclusion

There is one last thing I'd like to mention before we finally get to the meat and potatoes of this interesting topic. At present, my mental health is in a really good place even if there are a few stressful things looming in the background. I think that I am enjoying inner peace because I stopped taking benzos and other drugs except for weed, wodie. If you want to alter your consciousness, all you need is weed. It is the perfect drug. Everything else is just trouble. Man, I get high off my weed vape and I do not want to touch all the other drugs. I'm just chilled, ready to eat and listen to music and I don't want any trouble. Weed is marvellous, wodie.

The Creation of Parkway Gardens Homes

Wodie, this story is far from a straightforward one, so a bit of explanation is necessary. If you've been observant, you may have noticed that low-income housing in the USA is typically populated by minorities, especially those of the African American variety. There are several factors to this, and while there are no conclusive answers, a few points to consider have been raised by scholars and commentators over the years. Many point to slavery as a cause of the great class divide between Black Americans and the rest of society. However, I don't wish to go that far back, wodie. Instead, I'd like to focus specifically on how housing discrimination ensured Black Americans remained in disadvantaged areas and struggled to own property, thereby generating generational wealth.

Throughout the 20th century, the US government systematically denied Blacks homes through "redlining". This is a sneaky practice that was very racist without explicitly stating that it intends to discriminate against Black people. You see, banks in Chicago would divide up the map into different districts, with some areas receiving green lines and others, mainly poor, Black neighbourhoods, given red lines. The redlined areas would not be given home loans, preventing Black people from acquiring property. The result of this is that Blacks were perpetually stuck in poorer areas of Chicago i.e. the hood.

As a result, areas of South Side Chicago remain majority Black, low-income areas. Wodie, many of the people who live in these areas may have jobs, but often do not earn enough to afford housing. This problem was made worse by the Great Migrations which saw Black American move out of the Southern part of America and spread throughout the country. To alleviate the issue and provide affordable accommodation for Blacks, low-income housing was built in Chicago. In short, low-income housing is designed for people who earn less than 80% of the area's median income. Of course, those who wish to take advantage of low-income housing need to show proof of income to qualify.

Wodie, we're going to be looking at one of the low-income apartment buildings that were built to accommodate Chicago's growing African American population. The construction of Parkway Gardens Homes - which is located on 6330-6546 South King Drive, Chicago, Illinois - began in 1950 and lasted until 1955. Prior to the creation of the apartment building, the site was occupied by White City Amusement Park which is an interesting establishment that warrants it's own longpost. However, for the sake of brevity, we won't dive into the amusement park's history.

Parkway Gardens Homes was designed by Henry K. Holsman, a wodie who made use of a Modernist aesthetic. Holsman had plenty of experience with designing buildings in Chicago, but it was only in the 1940s that he decided to focus on African American housing. Holsman is a fairly interesting figure, and he found himself behind bars for mail fraud. Womp womp!

With Parkway Gardens Homes built, African Americans finally had access to affordable accommodation within Chicago. This is obviously something to be celebrated. What could possibly go wrong?

The Culture of Parkway Gardens Homes

Since the creation of Parkway Gardens Homes, a few notable figures have lived in the building, wodie. Easily one of the most successful people to ever emerge from Parkway Gardens Homes is former First Lady, Michelle Obama. In the autobiography Becoming, Michelle discusses growing up in Parkway Gardens Homes, stating the following:

"At the time the photo was taken, we were living across the hall from my father's parents in Parkway Gardens, an affordable housing project on the South Side made up of modernist apartment buildings. It had been built in the 1950s and was designed as a co-op, meant to ease a post–World War II housing shortage for Black working-class families. Later, it would deteriorate under the grind of poverty and gang violence, becoming one of the city's more dangerous places to live. Long before this, though, when I was still a toddler, my parents—who had met as teenagers and married in their mid-twenties—accepted an offer to move a few miles south to Robbie and Terry's place in a nicer neighbourhood."

What's this now? Why is Michelle Obama describing this apartment building as a hub of gang violence? Because she's right! To understand this, we need to rewind time and analyse a fellow who goes by the name of David Barksdale, or King David. This part of the story takes us way back. Like, I'm talking back to the 1950s, wodie.

David Barksdale was born in Mississippi in 1947, and he was one of thirteen children. His massive family experienced poverty, and eventually they moved to the South Side of Chicago where they sought residence in Hyde Park. There, David Barksdale quickly learned the ways of the street, made friends with various criminals, and worked his way up the hierarchy until he was a feared gang leader. Wodie, by 11 years old, Barksdale had formed a gang known as the Devil's Disciples. Other founders include other notable figures in the Chicago gang scene, including Richard Strong, Mingo Shread, Prince Old Timer, Kilroy, Leonard Longstreet, and Night Walker These wodies changed Chicago forever.

The gang was very active, and it made its members quite wealthy. The Devil's Disciples were also feared due to their willingness to resort to violence, wodie. Criminal activities the gang engaged in include arms trafficking, burglary, extortion, drug trafficking, illegal gambling, kidnapping, money laundering, murder, racketeering, robbery, and theft. The gang grew by absorbing smaller gangs in the area and turning them into factions of the Devil's Disciples. Barksdale, who was beginning to intimately understand the mechanics of running a successful criminal enterprise, eventually formed the Black Disciples Nation to contain all the smaller gangs that had been absorbed.

Though most other gangs that were not absorbed into the Black Disciples Nation preferred to stay out of the way, there were a few that dared to squabble with Barksdale's gang, wodie. This was the case with the Gangers Disciples, founded by a fellow named Larry Hoover. Though Hoover and Barksdale were originally foes, they eventually squashed the beef and allied, merging their massive gangs to form a new supergang known as the Black Gangster Disciples Nation, wodie.

Things went well for a while, but with a gang so big it was inevitable that internal conflict would arise. This is a complicated story, wodie, but I trust that you will follow. So, in 1973, Hoover received information that a 19-year-old local drug dealer known as William "Pooky" Young was responsible for stealing drugs and money from the gang. Wodie, the truth is that we don't know whether this is true or not. Regardless, in retaliation, Hoover put out a hit on Pooky, and that hit was carried out on February 26. Shortly after, Hoover went into hiding, but he was caught not long after. Wodie, this fellow tried to run away, but the cops nabbed him, and he ended up getting slapped with life imprisonment plus 200 years. The arrest of Hoover greatly crippled the gang, as he was an important leader. To make matters worse, a year later, Barksdale would pass away from kidney complications. It is believed that the complications arose from an assassination attempt he survived in 1970.

So now Hoover's in prison, and Barksdale (King David) is dead, leaving the gang in disarray. Internal conflicts would intensify until rival factions formed. Some stability came about thanks to a fellow named Mickey "Bull" Johnson taking charge, but this wodie ended up getting killed by Gangster Disciples in 1991. Nowadays, the Black Disciples live on in the South Side of Chicago, and they have a stronghold in Parkway Gardens Homes.

Before we go on, we also need to briefly discuss the Gangster Disciples, wodie. As previously stated, the group was founded by Larry Hoover, who was part of the gang life from a young age. When he was just 13 years old, in 1964, he joined a gang called the Supreme Gangsters, and this group was beefing with the Black Disciples Nation, who were already established by this point. However, a ceasefire between the two gangs occurred when Hoover and Barksdale decided to squash the beef, leading to the creation of the Black Gangster Disciples Nation.

Right, so the Black Gangster Disciples Nation eventually broke down, and many of the gangs became rivals. Most notably, the Black Disciples of Parkway Gardens Homes had an ongoing feud with the Gangster Disciples, who mainly claimed 63rd Street and St. Lawrence in Chicago, not too far from Parkway Gardens Homes. The specific Gangster Disciple set we're discussing is known as STL/EBT. Although there was plenty of violence exchanged between the gangs, things simmered at a low level until the latter half of the 2010s when things got really bad, wodie. During this time, Parkway Gardens Homes was known as WIIIC City. WIIIC stands for Wild, Insane, Crazy, with the I repeated three times because that's just what BDs do, wodie.

The next part of the story concerns a name you might have heard of if you're a fan of rap - Tooka. Shondale Gregory, also known as Tooka, was born in 1995 in Chicago, and he quickly adapted to the street life, joining the Gangster Disciples. Within the gang, he was very popular and he rose to prominence, becoming very well-liked and respected by his fellow gang members. He also had conflict with some members of the opposing gang, the Black Disciples. From now on, we'll be referring to Black Disciples as BDs and Gangster Disciples as GDs. Remember, BDs are Parkway Gardens Homes, and GDs are 63rd.

So who was Tooka beefing with, wodie? Well, he had bad blood with Keith Farrelle Cozart, also known as Chief Keef. At this time, Keef had yet to become a mainstream rapper, and he still lived the gang life with his BD buddies in Parkway Gardens Homes. More on him later. Tooka was also beefing with Dayvon Daquan Bennett, also known as King Von. He was another Parkway Gardens Homes resident, and he was friends with Chief Keef. More on him later, wodie.

As a consequence of the ongoing beef between BDs and GDs, Tooka was shot dead in 2011 when he was waiting at a bus stop. Tooka was only 15 at the time, and it is believed that the murder was retaliation for the murder of BD member Eddick Walker. Because Tooka was so loved by his gang, the murder absolutely enraged the GDs, and they swore to seek revenge. This was essentially the birth of the gang war between the GDs and the BDs. The situation was made worse by the fact that the late 2010s brought with it the rise of drill music. This genre of music originated in the ghettoes of Chicago, and it is characterised by explicit, confrontational lyrics containing violence, drug use, and rage. It is created to capture the lives and stories of those caught up in Chicago's gang life, and the genre has spread to other parts of America and the rest of the world, as seen with UK drill music.

One of the first breakout drill artists was Chief Keef, who is generally regarded as the rapper that brought drill music to a mainstream audience. In his music, Keef repped his gang, and he sent out several insults towards Tooka, frequently talking about "smoking on Tooka" which is a disrespectful insult. Keef wasn't the only one sending shots at the GDs. Another rapper arose from this scene is King Von. He is a famous rapper, arguably one of the most successful drill artists of all time, and he never shies away from dissing his opps, living or dead. Trust, this is not the last time we'll be discussing this pair.

So the GDs had Tooka smoked and the BDs are celebrating this and throwing disrespect. The GDs are committed to seeking revenge, sparking a cycle of violence that is still ongoing to this day. The GDs weren't about to take this disrespect lying down. Firstly, they renamed their neighbourhood Tookaville. Secondly, the wodies started plotting revenge. Ideally, they wanted to kill Tooka's killer, and they were convinced that the guy they were looking for was Odee Perry, who was a prominent BD member and a close friend of King Von. Mostly described as quiet yet deadly, Odee had a reputation that preceded him, and he was well-respected in the South Side of Chicago. One day, in 2011, he was riding his bike to the store when he was gunned down. The killer was never caught, though it was believed that the killer was a woman named Gakirah Barnes, also known as K.I.

With that name mentioned, it's time to take a detour and discuss K.I. She was a member of the GDs, and she was notable for being a deadly shooter. At a young age, she had racked up a number of murders, and she was feared by BD members. K.I. had a bit of a back-and-forth with King Von (the BD rapper), and it appears there was a love/hate relationship between the pair. Inbetween all of this, King Von would send insults at K.I. that targeted her gender. This was a sore spot for K.I. who was generally quite masculine and seemingly had gender issues, hinting that she could have possibly been trans.

In retaliation for Tooka's death, the GDs murdered Odee Perry in 2011. This left the BDs PISSED OFF. They did not waste time making moves. WIIIC City was renamed to O-Block in honour of Odee Perry, a name that has stuck to this day. Consequently, from now on, I'll be referring to Parkway Gardens Homes as O-Block. Next, it was time for murder. The BDs were convinced that K.I. was the one who pulled the trigger. As a result, at age 17, K.I. was murdered. It is believed that the shooter was King Von.

Now, you may have watched Trap Lore Ross and seen the story of King Von. Needless to say, with a bit of research, it is easy to discover that most of that documentary is incorrect and highly scandalised. However, it does get a few things right. Mainly, King Von was almost certainly the killer of K.I. and police reports suggest as much as well. However, the claims of King Von being a serial killer are unfounded, as far as I'm concerned, and the idea that the man killed 7 or more people is almost certainly false.

With the death of Odee, the gang war was on full swing. The drill music intensified, the beefs grew, and the murders increased. Notable deaths include:

• Lil JoJo (2012) – GD rapper killed after beefing with Chief Keef's camp.

• L'A Capone (2013) – O-Block BD rapper killed outside a studio.

• T.Roy (2017) – O-Block shooter taken out in retaliation.

Perhaps the notable murder at this time involves the death of rapper FBG Duck.

He used to be friends with King Von until it was discovered that FBG Duck was playing both sides, claiming loyalty to both BDs and GDs. Additionally, FBG Duck was a friend of Tooka, and this eventually put him on the bad side of the BDs. Things reached a turning when FBG Duck and his friends jumped King Von on the bus, causing King Von to swear that he would seek revenge on FBG Duck. In the song "Took Her To The O", King Von raps about murdering FBG Duck. In 2020, FBG Duck was shot dead by his rivals.

So, back to Chief Keef and King Von. Wodie, Chief Keef spearheaded the drill scene, and he became a global celebrity. In doing so he brought a spotlight to Chicago and O-Block, turning it into a pop cultural phenomenon. However, Chief Keef was smart, and as soon as he got money, he left Chicago to live a comfy life in Los Angeles. This may be the main reason Chief Keef is still alive to this day and not in prison. King Von was a little more dumb. This wodie was charged with murder in 2014, causing him to spend three years in prison. During this time, he read Twilight novels which inspired him to tell stories through rapping. This worked for him because once he left prison, his rap career almost immediately took off. Compared to other drill rappers, he was quite lyrical and he had a knack for telling stories through his lyrics. However, Von was living that gangster life and he continued to send out disses to his opps, eventually resulting in him getting killed in retaliation. This occurred in 2020 while Von was in Atlanta, wodie. Here, he started fighting with rapper Quando Rondo, causing a member of Rondo's crew to open fire, killing Von. Von's shooter was identified as Timothy "Lul Timm" Leeks, though he was acquitted under the Stand Your Ground laws.

As a side note, another notable figure in the Chicago drill scene is Lil Durk who is a friend of King Von and Chief Keef. This man was making 10s of millions off his rap career when he was arrested in connection with a murder-for-hire plot against Quando Rondo in 2024, likely as a form of retaliation for the death of King Von.

Parkway Gardens Homes Today

In recent years, murders in the South Side of Chicago have steeply declined. This is due, in part, to intensified police presence and increased calls for police to solve gang-related crimes instead of brushing them under the carpet. The decline in violence is also due to the fact that many of the key figures in the gang war are either dead or in jail.

Parkway Garens Homes is in the National Register of Historic Places, though its future may not be secure. Under new ownership, there is the very real threat that O-Block will be demolished in the near future, which could be disastrous for its residents who rely on the low-cost housing provided.

Conclusion

So, to sum up the story. Long ago, Blacks were relegated to the hood, which led to the creation of low cost housing in Chicago. A fellow named Henry K. Holsman created Parkway Gardens Homes. This is where Michelle Obama would grow up. Not long after, a gang war erupted, thanks to the formation of the Black Disciples gang and the Gangsters Disciples. The beef intensified in the late 2000s when BDs killed Tooka. In retaliation, GDs killed Odee. This back and forth continued until KI was killed by King Von who was killed by Quando Rondo's neighbor. Lil Durk goes to jail for trying to put a hit on Quando Rondo. Chief Keef left the hood, and Lul Timm was arrested for King Von's murder but later acquitted. Also, FBG Duck got smoked.