Jeff Fort (born February 20, 1947) is a former Chicago gang leader and co-founder of the Black P. Stones gang. He later founded the El Rukn faction, transforming the gang from a street organization into a pseudo-religious group with political ambitions and criminal influence. Once viewed as a potential community leader, Fort’s legacy has been overshadowed by his eventual convictions for drug trafficking, murder, and domestic terrorism. He is currently serving a 155-year prison sentence at the ADX Florence supermax facility.
The Blackstone Rangers
Fort's rise began in the late 1950s when he and Eugene Hairston founded the Blackstone Rangers, a youth gang originating on Blackstone Avenue in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood. Originally created for self-defense, the gang rapidly expanded under Fort’s influence. By the mid-1960s, Fort had unified over 20 neighborhood gangs into a single coalition of about 5,000 members under a leadership council called the "Main 21."
The Blackstone Rangers developed a surprising public image. Fort’s charisma attracted support from community leaders, including Reverend John Fry, and the group received over $1 million in federal grants for job training through the Office of Economic Opportunity. In 1967, Fort established the Grassroots Independent Voters of Illinois, signaling a foray into political activism. He was even invited to President Richard Nixon’s 1969 Inaugural Ball, although he declined and sent representatives instead.
Black P. Stone Nation
With Hairston imprisoned by 1966, Fort took full control and renamed the group to the Almighty Black P. Stone Nation (BPSN). The organization evolved into a dominant criminal entity in Chicago, engaging in extortion, robbery, drug trafficking, and violence. The group enforced street discipline while also extorting local vice operations. In 1968, allegations emerged that federal funds intended for job training were diverted for illegal purposes. Fort was subpoenaed to testify before the U.S. Senate but refused to cooperate, resulting in a contempt of Congress conviction.
Conversion to Islam and El Rukn
In 1972, Fort was sentenced to five years in prison for misusing federal funds. During his incarceration at Leavenworth, he converted to Islam, adopting the name Prince Malik. Upon release in 1976, Fort aligned with the Moorish Science Temple and restructured the gang, eventually renaming it El Rukn—which means “the pillar” in Arabic.
In 1978, Fort re-established the gang’s headquarters at a former movie theater on Drexel Avenue, dubbed "The Fort." There, he reorganized the leadership, replacing the previous 21 generals with five close allies. Authorities believed the religious angle was used to shield the organization from law enforcement under the First Amendment. During this period, El Rukn became heavily involved in heroin and cocaine trafficking.
Terrorism and Life Imprisonment
While imprisoned in Bastrop, Texas, Fort continued to run El Rukn via phone. He orchestrated a plot with Libyan officials in the early 1980s, agreeing to carry out domestic terrorist attacks in exchange for $2.5 million and weapons. In 1987, Fort was convicted of terrorism conspiracy for his dealings with Libya and sentenced to 80 years. The following year, he was convicted of ordering the 1981 murder of a rival gang leader, receiving an additional 75-year sentence.
In 2006, Fort was transferred to ADX Florence, a federal supermax facility in Colorado, where he remains under a no-human-contact restriction.
Jeff Fort’s life reflects the complex and often contradictory role that gang leaders play—simultaneously viewed as community figures, political actors, and dangerous criminals.