Who is credited with starting the Crips gang?

Raymond Washington is credited with founding the Crips gang in Los Angeles during the late 1960s. Washington, along with a small group of friends, initially started the gang as a means of protection against other gangs in their neighborhood. The Crips were originally known for their blue colors and their confrontational style which helped them grow in numbers and influence over time.

Stanley Williams, while often associated with the gang as he became a prominent member and co-founder of the "Crips," became more widely recognized later for his writings and impact on gang culture, particularly after his imprisonment and execution. David Barksdale was the founder of a rival gang known as the Black Disciples and was involved in various gang activities but is not credited with starting the Crips. Larry Hoover is known for founding the Gangster Disciples, another significant gang in Chicago, but like Barksdale, he is not connected to the inception of the Crips. Hence, Washington's role as the founder uniquely identifies him in the history of the Crips.