The Mickey Cobras formed in the year 1954 on Chicago’s west side on the corner of Roosevelt and Maxwell.  The founder of the Mickey Cobras was James Cogwell.  The Mickey Cobras back in 1954 until 1960 were known as the Egyptian Cobras.  During the mid 1950s the Egyptian Cobras fought heavily with a gang called the 14^th street Clovers.  The 14^th street Clovers were the gang that later became the Vice Lords in the late 50s (before Vice Lord it was 14^th street Clover).  After several members of the 14^th street Clovers were incarcerated by 1957, the Egyptian Cobras had less competition.  While incarcerated in the St. Charles reformatory for boys, the Clovers organized and became the Vice Lords.  When the Vice Lords returned to Lawndale in the year 1958, they soon swelled into a force to be reckoned with.  The Vice Lords were very aggressive and the dominant gang in Lawndale; therefore, they immediately began to tear away at the Egyptian Cobras.  By the year 1960 the Vice Lords had swelled in such large numbers that there was no room for Egyptian Cobras and they evacuated to the South Side of Chicago.  They relocated to the Woodlawn community to start a new beginning after they learned form their mistakes against the Vice Lords.  They even changed their name to the Egyptian King Cobras (no relation to the Black King Cobras headed by Jerome “Shorty” Freeman).  Around 1961 James Cogwell was killed leaving Henry Cogwell in charge of the Egyptian King Cobras.  From 1961 till 1966 Cogwell led the Egyptian King Cobras successfully alone as they gained further reputation on the streets of Lawndale.  In the year 1966 Eugene Hairston who was the leader of the Black Stone Rangers noticed the Cobras and offered the Cobras and Cogwell a position in the Main 21 alliance.  The Cobras then joined the BPSN alliance that opposed the Black Disciple alliance and about a year later, the Gangster nation.  The Egyptian King Cobras then changed their name to the Cobras Stones in 1966. 

            Soon afterward Eugene Hairston went to prison and lost his position in the nation making Jeff Fort the chief.  Jeff Fort and Mickey Cogwell had a tight relationship and Cogwell was also heavily like within the BPSN.  Mickey Cogwell became a main spokesman for the BPSN and their activities.  In 1969 when Fort was asked to meet President Nixon, Fort sent Cogwell and Herman “Moose” Holmes (leader of the Gangster Stones) to meet Nixon instead.  In the late 60s the BPSN raised over a million dollars in government funding that was later proven in 1972 to have been mostly used for illegal endeavors.  Cogwell himself was responsible for raising $927,000 from the U.S. office of Economic Opportunity.  Starting in 1970 the Police had been monitoring Cogwell for suspicions of defrauding the government of the $927,000.  Later in 1972 the government closed in on Cogwell and the whole BPSN and leaders like Cogwell and Fort were charged.  In about 1976 Jeff Fort formed the People alliance while in prison right before his release later that year.  Because the Cobra Stones were a part of the BPSN, they also joined the People alliance which squashed any old beefs they had with Vice Lords.  While Fort and Cogwell were out of prison, they began to organize the organization even more.  Cogwell began to organize unions for McDonald’s workers or other workers in fast food by 1976 for the equal treatment of employees.  In the process it was said that Cogwell was working in organized crime territory, which may have caused problems for the BPSN.  Cogwell also wanted to steer the BPSN towards political activity, and Fort did not want to go that direction yet.  These two reasons could be why Cogwell was killed.  A main reason that it was believed he was killed was how Cogwell openly objected at the new “ELRUKN” doctrines Jeff Fort established in 1976.  No one was allowed to oppose the new ELRUKN name and Islamic doctrines and it was said that Cogwell openly spoke out at the meeting.  The penalty for such an action was death.  Even though Cogwell spoke out against this the MCs ended adopting Islamic doctrines anyway.  On February 25, 1977 Mickey Cogwell was killed by unknown assailants.  The Cobra Stones blamed the ELRUKNS for killing him and said Jeff fort ordered the hit, this caused a war between the ELRUKNS and the Cobras.  In order to honor Cogwell the Cobra Stones changed their name to the Mickey Cobras.  In 1977 Theotis Clark “Emperor Thee” became the new leader of the MCN.

            Throughout the rest of the 1970s and all throughout the 80s and 90s the Mickey Cobras held down a very strong presence in the Cabrini Green housing projects, Dearborn Homes and the Woodlawn community.  During the 1980s the MCs successfully split off on their own completely independent from the ELRUKNS, only being tied through shaky People nation alliance ties.  The MCs soon rose to organized crime status, and are considered the major part of the black mafia. 

            By the early 90s MC relations between Black P Stones and Conservative Vice Lords worsened.  In some areas of the city MC get along with Vice Lords and BPS and in others there is total war.  The MCs; nevertheless, are bitter enemies of Folk nation gangs, especially the Gangster Disciples.  After several building have been demolished in the Robert Taylor Homes, the MCs have relocated to such suburbs as Calumet Park, Bolingbrook, Kankakee, and Bloomington.  Now MCs are both active in the city and the suburbs.  In 2006 the MCs were severely crippled during a major drug bust on the corner of 28^th and State St.  47 individuals were convicted for trafficking Heroine including and Chicago Police officer Tashika Sledge, 29. 

SPECIAL THANKS TO ZOOK FOR THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION ON THE MICKEY COBRAS