Saturday, June 25, 2011

421 TAGGERS RELIVE THE GLORIES OF THEIR BARRIO'S PAST

By Juan Montoya
Those of us who grew up in Brownsville during the days that the barrios throughout the city were known as La Parra, La Muralla, Las Prietas, La 12, La Medina, La Villa Verde, El Ramireno, La Riverside, El Puerto and La Southmost remember still another barrio which made its name through the endurance of its residents.
Those new to the city will probably see tags on local buildings to the chagrin of property owners announcing the presence of La 421, or "de La 4" as its adherents popularly call themselves.
Local residents say that the 421 name harks back to a cavalry unit stationed in the area in World War II.
But the name also evokes a sense of pride in the neighborhood south of International Boulevard and loosely bordered by Ringgold and Tyler streets. It included 21st Street and several surrounding streets.
In the old days, the teens of the neighborhood defended their turf with belts and fists and there was a ways a certain element that strayed into crime, as did teens in other parts of the city.
The Juan Raul Garza organization arose from a street gang that formed and called itself "El 421."
Garza and his confederates were tried and convicted in federal courts. Garza was executed in Terre Haute, Ind., in 2002.
Today he is named in a narcocorrido by the late Beto Quintanilla.
But the fact that some neighborhood residents gained notoriety doesn't obscure the fact that the name refers, above all, to the sense of neighborhood that is missing in many parts of the city today.
In the late 1970s, I remember Lupe Olvera, the commander of the VFW, driving me along the barrio and pointing out the house where he had grown up. Lupe had gone on to earn a law degree after he returned from a tour in Vietnam with the U.S. Army.
With the advent of social media, you can now share in this sense of barrio pride by going to YouTube and Facebook and punching in 421 barrio.
You have your in-your-face videos with some minor gang-banging and gangsta photos, but the comments that current and former residents make about the neighborhood they grew up in really tells the story. Below we post some of these:
Karla Logan
"I wanna be 11 again running barefoot on Jackson Street from dawn till dusk!!"

Lorenzo Celedon Sr.
"I wish we could just go back in time and hang out like when we where kids . El queche, el handro, el lore, y el Danny, good time's forever."

Shannon MissIndependent Crownecklace-Vasquez
"Yes please come visit me!........I remember those get togethers.....we had such a happy childhood."

Rogelio Garza
"Still here in the neighborhood and dont think i am ever leaving its just a way of life watching it change throughout the years hard to see all the changes. Pure 421."
Perhaps Chuy Picazo, a former resident of the neioghborhood put it better.
"This may have been a poor neighborhood, but it was home to us. We took care of each other and looked out for the younger kids. Everybody knew each other. Above all, we were like a family."
.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please do not glorify gangs! I usually read this blog, but I disagree with this kind of articles

Anonymous said...

pura 421 sii awevo

Anonymous said...

4-21 is gonna live 4ever 2gether as 1 soy el frajo de la Taylor st. & 21 st.

Anonymous said...

pinche bola de maricones pura coma pendejos nosotros todo tiempo corrimos el terreno

Unknown said...

la coma ta muerta pendejo la 4~21 siempre va correr todo el pedo east side b.c.v. ***EL Mexican.Boii.***

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Las Prietas kontrola!:. ExSxL

Anonymous said...

Pinche jotito pareses un cholo marica ojete pura Truman

Anonymous said...

Pareses jotito mexicanboii mas bien t abies d llamar gay boy

Anonymous said...

Born && raised their puraa 4-21 :.

Anonymous said...

Brownsville Texas Born and raised!! B.V.V for life! No matter where You go, never forget where You come from raza!!!

Anonymous said...

Puro Pinche LSM 13 Alv!!!

Anonymous said...

Lsm13Killers ala v puro Puerto

Anonymous said...

Puro pinche west side alv de ramireno asta San Pedro... pocos pero locos ..

Anonymous said...

Puro 421 esl born and raised right by capristans.... la familia franco y garcia. Free my primo chuco!!!!!

Unknown said...

Pura 4-21 aqui el guero reportando puro Valluco

Anonymous said...

puro pinche Puerto controlando bien firmes puro 956

Anonymous said...

PURA 4-21, Fuck Truman

Anonymous said...

Pura 4-21, aqui El WhiteBoy...

Unknown said...

Pura 4~21 B.C.V El Chuyito

Anonymous said...

There was only 1 el frajo and he commited suicide in the 80s

Anonymous said...

I am from la 4 21 I remember when we used to hang around the corners Taylor am Walter from LA 4 but after putting my time I got out different I am a Pastor and preaching to gangsters in Arkansas

Anonymous said...

No tra nada es vato

Anonymous said...

El frajo used to like guys

Anonymous said...

I grew up in the barrio 2025 ringgold st el negro pura 421 bcv eastside till i die its been past 15 years still see my self cruising threw the barrio in my 84 monte Carlo three wheelin past polk st seeing my tios old house el indio rail garcia and primo chuco garica alot of goodtimes i. The hood respect to all the old g and youngsters that rep that 421 el mata firme was always down with wboy and chona and frajo and tiras chino Juan reyna and jose ledezma carlos Raul gaytan chuco choche chris jr Joey J.J. Tony G Lil Ray Doze sapo victor Wero Ramon zuniga mario garbiel fred obama lalo Rios teto saludos a todos

Anonymous said...

Pura 4-21 El Pantoja

Anonymous said...

Long live La 421. E. Jackson St and 21st.

OZFEST said...

Su Mero papa Putos pinche jotos marikones Odiosos enbidiosos de de Mi Barrio El 4-21..ches chavalas. Respeten Alav .. and recognise pts Qvo! Es La Sirena Reportando pa la Base de La4uatro. That’s my Original Placaso Perros y no se les olvide con Con Safos.

Fanta$ma said...

puro WestSideLocos 23:. alv all of you anonymous accounts pinche panochudos 🤣 I say this shit wit my chest ese espK fuck the other side

rita