The Mickey Cobras(MCs) is a gang that was created in the West Side of Chicago in the 1950s. The gang was founded by James Cogwell, at the time of its foundation, they were known as the Egyptian Cobras and operated in the Lawndale area. In the late 1950s, they went to war with the 14th Street Clovers(later known as the Vice Lords), a war they would eventually win due to many of the 14th Street Clovers being locked up by 1957. While most of the 14th Street Clovers were incarcerated, the Egyptian Cobras virtually had little competition, but that would soon change. While locked up in the St. Charles Reformatory for Boys, the 14th Street Clovers decided to reorganize the gang and changed their name to the Vice Lords. The Vice Lords were released from incarceration in 1958 and immediately became one of the most dominant gangs in the Lawndale area. They soon started attacking the Egyptian Cobras and ran them out of town by the 1960s to the Woodlawn Neighborhood in the side South Side of Chicago. After relocating to the South Side of Chicago, the Egyptian Cobras decided to change their name to the Egyptian King Cobras. Soon after moving, the leader at the time ‘James Cogwell’ was killed, which left Henry “Mickey” Cogwell as leader of the gang. As the Egyptian King Cobras started becoming a reputable gang, they were approached in 1966 by Eugene Hairston, the leader of Black Stone Rangers at the time. Eugene Hairston offered the Egyptian King Cobras a leading position in the Black P Stone Nation(BPSN), an alliance which was supposed to rival the Black Disciple alliance, they agreed to the proposal and changed their name to the Cobras Stones in 1966.

Soon after the creation of the new alliance(BPSN), Eugene Hairston was incarcerated, leaving the leadership of the the BPSN to Jeff Fort. Henry “Mickey” Cogwell had a healthy relationship with Jeff Fort and Mickey soon became the spokesperson for the BPSN. In 1969 an invitation was given to Jeff Fort to meet President Nixon, Fort decided to send the leader of Cobra Stones(Mickey Cogwell) and the leader of the Gangster Stones(Herman “Moose” Holmes”) to meet Nixon. The BPSN was able to raise over 1 million dollars in the 1960s and Mickey Cogwell played a huge part in getting the money by visiting the U.S. office of Economic Opportunity and other institutions. Since a large portion of the money were in the form of grants from the Feds, a close eye was kept on the gang’s activities. It would later be discovered that BPSN was defrauding the Federal Government which resulted in Fort and Mickey being sent to prison. While in prison in 1976, Jeff Fort formed the People Nation alliance which included Cobra Stones’ former enemy the Vice Lords, but since the Cobra Stones were part of the BPSN, they joined the people nation nonetheless.

Henry “Mickey” Cogwell’s Death

Not long after being released from prison, Jeff Fort ordered a hit on Mickey Cogwell due to conflict of interests, on February 25, 1977 Mickey Cogwell was killed by unknown assailants. The exact reason why Mickey Cogwell was murdered is unknow, but possible reasons include a conflict between Fort and Mickey on which direction to take the gang. Mickey Cogwell wanted the gang to start focusing on political activities but Jeff Fort rejected the idea. Another possible reason for the hit was Jeff Fort wanted the BPSN to adopt an Islamic doctrine when he formed “ELRUKN”, it is widely believed during a meeting of the main members, Mickey Cogwell openly rejected “ELRUKN” in public which was a gross violation. Though Mickey Cogwell was against the Islamic doctrine, the Cobra Stones still adapted it. After Mickey’s death in 1977, the Cobra Stones blamed the murder on ELRUKNS and claimed the hit were direct orders of Jeff Fort which caused a war between the Cobras and ELRUKNS(BPSN). The Cobra Stones broke away from ELRUKNS and as an honor to Henry “Mickey” Cogwell, the gang changed their name to the Mickey Cobras Nation(CBN) and Theotis “Emperor Thee” Clark became its new leader.

Though the Mickey Cobras are in the same alliance(People Nation) with the Vice Lords and the Black P Stones, they often go to war with them depending on the area. Though the MCs are enemies of some People gang, their true enemies are the gangs from the Folk Nation gangs, especially the Gangster Disciples Nation.