Even if you were living under a rock your entire life, you would know who the Bloods and Crips are. The Bloods are one of the largest street gangs in the world and are most known for the rivalry between the Crips. So how did this rivalry come to be, and who started the Bloods? Lets take a look at some history of Bloods street gangs in Los Angeles first to understand why the Bloods was started.

The Rise of Street Gangs in LA

Street gangs in Los Angeles have a complex and multifaceted history that dates back to the early 20th century. However, the modern iteration of street gangs in LA began to emerge in the mid-20th century, particularly in the post-World War II era. One of the earliest and most notable gangs was the “Boozefighters,” which formed in the 1940s.

The late 1940s and 1950s saw the rise of various youth subcultures and social issues, including racial tensions, poverty, and urban migration, which contributed to the formation and proliferation of street gangs. African American, Latino, and other minority groups in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods often formed gangs as a means of protection, identity, and social cohesion.

By the 1960s, gangs like the Crips and Bloods began to gain prominence in Los Angeles. These gangs initially started as social and community-oriented groups but eventually evolved into more violent and criminal organizations.

Introduction of the Blue Invasion

The Crips were first introduced into Los Angeles in the late 1960s by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams. The exact circumstances surrounding their formation are somewhat murky, but the Crips emerged primarily in response to social and economic challenges faced by African American communities in South Central Los Angeles.

Raymond Washington, along with several other young African American men, initially formed a group known as the Baby Avenues, which later evolved into the Crips. The name “Crips” is believed to have originated from the phrase “crippled,” reflecting the group’s defiance and toughness.

At this point Raymond Washington went on terror and tried recruiting all street gangs of this era into the Crips. Of course there were gangs that did not want no part in this, and this is where the story starts for the Bloods.

Building the Bloods

The sole purpose of the formation of the Bloods was to combat the spread of more Crip gangs in LA.

During this era of gangs, there were actually 100s of other street gangs in Los Angeles, The Crips were the first gang that wanted to unite all gangs so they could take over the streets.

Obviously not everyone shared this same view, and those that opposed got attacked.

The Crips attacked two students, Sylvester Scott and Benson Owens. Benson would go on to start the Piru Street Boys which is historically known to be the one of the oldest Bloods Gang.

The Bloods gang was formed to protect themselves from more Crip attacks.

The Piru Street Boys would later recruit more gangs to be part of the Bloods and they would choose the color red to symbolize the united Blood Gangs.