CHOSEN FEW & EAST BAY DRAGONS | AMERICA’S BLACK BIKER SET REVISITED

2009 November 4

tags: American, biker, black, club, culture, gang, Harley Davidson, Hells Angels, history, motorcycle, retro

by JP

Chosen Few Motorcycle Club

Soak in the retro soil & oil biker shots from the Chosen Few, and East Bay Dragons motorcycle clubs.

In 1959, the Chosen Few MC officially formed out in LA on the cusp of the chaotic 60s. As they tell it — “The 60s was a hell of a time. With the Civil Rights Movement, The Viet Nam War, Flower Power & Free Love. Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll. Also the Crazy World of the Outlaw Bikers.”

If this sounds as foreign to you as it did to me, a kid who grew up in the world of white biker culture – well, consider the cultural stereotypes around bikers.

From the Chosen Few history–

“When you talk of the Outlaw Bikers you automatically think of ‘Them Crazy White Boys’ doing what a lot of folk wish they could do. Live Life Like You Want & F*ck You And Your Rules. Well Guess What? There was some crazy Black bikers who felt the fame way, and didn’t give a F*ck. Thus was born the Black Outlaw Bikers ! ”

Black motorcycle clubs emerged throughout Cali in the 50s & 60s, and fought against racism and stereotypes of the day for their right to live the outlaw biker lifestyle — like the East Bay Dragons, Fresco Rattlers, Outlaw Vagabonds, Defiant Ones; down South in LA were the Choppers, Soul Brothers & of course, the Chosen Few.

Chosen Few Motorcycle Club

The first White boy to come to the Chosen Few MC was “White Boy Art.” He came around 1960, followed by “White Boy Tom”. Soon we started to attract other White outlaw riders that wanted to join us. The Chosen Few became a multi-racial MC with chapters that were, all Black, all White, half White and half Mexican, half Black and half White, all Mexican, half Mexican and half Indian, a few Asians & one Iranian dude.

Our “Take None, Give None” 1%er diamond was given to us by “69 Jim” who was a 5 foot 6 inch radical Mexican. This patch has stood the test of time. The club may have started out Black, but our White brothers took us head-on into the outlaw biker world. The White clubs knew about the Chosen Few MC. They knew it was a Black club. Then they saw the White brothers flying the same patch as the Blacks — The Sh*t Hit The Fan.

The White Brothers Didn’t Give A Sh*t. They fought for there place in the outlaw biker world & flew the Chosen Few colors proudly. The White bro’s brought a true brotherhood to the club. The Chosen Few was the 1st fully integrated outlaw biker MC. It soon became well known all around by the other clubs that — “In Black & White, We Really Had Might.”