Winndye Jenkins is the wife of Larry Hoover, a popular Chicago gangster of the 1970s. Winndye is the common-law wife of Larry, who was said to be the former leader of the Gangster Disciples, a Chicago street gang.
Larry Hoover is recognized as one of the founders of the gang and has been in prison for about five decades. All the while he has been in prison, his wife has never failed to visit him. She has remained very supportive and loyal, even until now.
Winndye became a social media sensation when she caught the attention of American rapper Kanye West, during one of her numerous campaigns for her husband’s release. This has set off a chain of reactions, leading to broader discussions on the unlawful incarceration of Black men in America.
Winndye Jenkins’ Biography Summary
- Full Name: Winndye Jenkins
- Gender: Female
- Date of Birth: August 12, 1950
- Winndye Jenkins’ Age: 73 years old
- Ethnicity: African American
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac Sign: Leo
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Married (under Common Law)
- Winndye Jenkins’ Husband: Larry Hoover
- Winndye Jenkins’ Children: 1 (Larry Hoover Jr.)
- Famous for: Fighting for Larry Hoover’s freedom
- Winndye Hoover’s Instagram: @winndyehoover_
73-Year-Old Winndye Jenkins is of African-American Ethnicity
Winndye Jenkins celebrates her birthday every 12th of August as she was born on August 12, 1950, in the United States of America. Her zodiac sign is Leo and she is a Black woman of African American ethnicity. Winndye’s family background is very obscure, as nobody knew her before she got married to Larry. As a result, her parents’ identities and occupations, and those of her siblings (if there are any) are not available to the public.
She is a fairly educated woman, as she didn’t get past the high school level and never made it into college. This is probably because she came from a humble background and couldn’t afford to go to college. She also met Larry when she was still young, and focused most of her time on helping him build a family, and supporting his political ambitions.
Winndye Jenkins Isn’t Legally Married To Larry Hoover
A lot of reports have referred to the 73-year-old lady as Larry’s wife, however, Winndye herself has opened up about the true nature of her and Larry’s relationship. According to her, she is not the legal wife of Larry Hoover. In fact, they are only considered a married couple under common law. Common law allows a couple to be considered married without being formally recognized by the court or a religious body.
In Winndye and Larry’s case, they had been together for so long that they naturally decided to take on the married tag. In spite of the fact that she is considered a married woman, Winndye has no real legal marital rights over Larry. She said in an interview with ESSENCE magazine that the Penitentiary of Illinois – where Larry was incarcerated – refused to let them get married, even though it was quite possible and legal.
She further revealed that no matter how many times she tried to get the nuptials tied, the officials kept foiling their plans, frustrating them altogether. To date, they still haven’t wedded legally, and sadly, might never get the opportunity to.
Larry Hoover Is Serving Multiple Life Sentences For Gang-related Crimes
Winndye Jenkins’ lover, Larry Hoover, has quite the violence-filled record. Born on November 30, 1950, in Jackson Mississippi, Hoover moved to Chicago as a young boy. He is infamously known as the gang head and co-founder of the Chicago gang – Gangster Disciples.
He was imprisoned on March 16, 1973, for the murder of a certain drug dealer named William Young. Not only that, but he was also later charged with six different counts of murder, conspiracy, money laundering, extortion, continuing to engage in criminal activity, and more, all for which he gained one life sentence each.
As a young man, Hoover rose from the lower ranks of the gang to become the first-in-command of a group that is famously referred to as the biggest drug ring in Mid-Western America. It was also believed that he had immense political power, and the influence to start serious riots in prison if he wanted to.
His gang, The Gangster Disciples was believed to have a membership of over 30,000 across 30 states. He is currently held at the ADX Florence prison in Florence, Colorado where he will serve out his six life sentences, in addition to the 200-year sentence he was given in 1973.
Winndye And Larry Have A Son Named Larry Hoover Jr.
As you probably know by now, Winndye’s partner was sent to jail just months after she got pregnant with their child. At the time of Larry’s sentencing in November 1973, she was already visibly pregnant. The young 23-year-old was left to figure it all out on her own, attending all the necessary pregnancy checks while her baby daddy was remanded in prison.
She gave birth to their son, Larry Hoover Jr., the following year in 1974, although the month of birth isn’t known yet, Larry Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois, the United States. When he was a baby, his mother took him to visit his imprisoned father about thrice a year. He grew up feeling resentment over what appeared to be the wrongful treatment of his father.
Now a fully grown man, he has found his way into the music industry, and even moves in the company of industry greats like Kanye West and Drake. In 2019, Larry Jr. appeared in a YouTube interview with Drea O where he campaigned for his father’s release from prison. He is currently married and has two children; a son (Larry Hoover III) and a daughter.
There Are Conflicting Reports About The Number Of Children Winndye Jenkins Has With Larry Hoover
Larry Hoover Jr. is not Winndye’s first and only child as there are conflicting reports with regards to the number of children the imprisoned crime boss has. Even though Larry Jr. has been the most vocal of the Hoover children about his father’s situation, there are reports that support the fact that Winndye and Larry may have had other children or Larry may have had them with other women.
The couple is said to have a daughter named Samaya Hoover, however, information about her has evaded the public eye as so much is not known of her. It is only known that she is the daughter of the incarcerated crime boss, Larry Hoover. Nothing is known about her early life, when she was born, if she is married or if she has kids.
Some media outlets claim Larry Hoover has two children, a son, and a daughter, while another says he has two boys. There are those who suggest the crime boss has more than two children (actually they say he has four children) namely Samaya, Larry Jr., Tyree, and Bernard Hoover. Further research shows evidence of a son named Tyree Larry Hoover who is also a music artist like Larry Hoover Jr.
With all this unclarity about Larry Hoover’s children, it is believed that as his case comes to the consciousness of the American public and perhaps, becomes a national discourse, more information will be known about the actual number of children Larry Hoover has and who they are.
How Long Have Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover Been Together?
Winndye Jenkins is one very strong and highly determined woman. Her history with Larry is said to date back to the mid-1960s. A simple calculation shows that they have known each other for nearly 60 years in total. How did they manage to achieve this feat? In all fairness, it was Winndye who did all the work. She absolutely refused to be kept away from her husband.
She lobbied for visitation rights and even took his son to see him severally – all in spite of the horrible treatment she received from the prison officials. Indeed Winndye repeatedly spoke about the ill-treatment that the authorities at the ADX Florence Penitentiary meted on her. Apart from thwarting all her efforts to get him released on parole, they also deliberately denied her visitations, most times without good cause.
Winndye said that she vowed to the prison authorities that she would keep visiting her husband until her death – and so far, she hasn’t broken her promise.
Anyways this didn’t mean that Winndye took all her ill-treatment lightly. In fact, she, with the help of Larry Hoover’s lawyer, Justin Moore, filed a lawsuit against the guards of the AFX correctional facility, citing racist and inappropriate behavior, and infringement of confidentiality. There are no reports on the outcome of the lawsuit yet.
Winndye Jenkins Had to Learn to Support Herself and Her Young Family Early
It was a cruel fate that caused Winndye Jenkins to become a single mother, even though her husband was alive. When Larry Hoover landed himself in jail, young Winndye was left to fend for herself and her son. Because she had no degree, she could only make money by doing odd jobs – the sort that never pays enough.
At first, she operated a concert promotion business between the mid-sixties and seventies, but the business was shut down on allegations of money laundering.
She later took up work as a clerk/receptionist at Rite-way Huggins Construction Services, Inc. The owner of the company was her husband’s namesake – a man named Larry Huggins. He was a businessman and construction worker who relied on the government for contracts.
Larry Huggins’ involvement with Winndye Jenkins brought him under the intense scrutiny of the police, but investigations soon revealed that he had no affiliations with Larry Hoover or his gang.
Winndye Jenkins Has Vehemently Championed The Cause For Larry Hoover’s Release
It’s important to note that Larry Hoover was imprisoned on multiple charges of conspiracy, extortion, criminal activity, and even murder. All of these landed him a total of six life imprisonment sentences. After his arrest in September, he was denied bail, and decades after his incarceration, Larry Hoover is still deemed unfit for parole.
All the while, efforts have been made to see that he regains his freedom. Most, if not all of these efforts have come from his wife and mother of his only son, Winndye Jenkins who has tried her very best to better his situation. It has all seemed like one who was punching above her weight because not so much was been achieved as she passionately sought ways to ensure that her partner was a free man again.
She recently filed a lawsuit against the government which she says is her way of “fighting for her family’s dignity.” Winndye never made much progress with Larry Hoover’s case in the past because she didn’t have the financial strength to contest the judgment.
Currently, her aim is to get Larry to spend some much-needed time with his child and grandchildren before he passes. With the public attention the case is getting now, it looks like she will soon get her wish.
Kanye West has Famously Come Aboard the Fight for Larry Hoover’s Freedom
The name ‘Larry Hoover’ is a bit more familiar to Americans and it is all because of one man; Kanye West. The Donda rapper joined the train clamoring for the immediate release of the former gangster. Somehow, Winndye’s son, Larry Jr., was able to get in contact with the award-winning rapper and convince him to be part of the movement which was called the ‘Free Larry Hoover’ movement.
Although born in Georgia, Atlanta, Kanye West is originally from Chicago. This is probably why he felt connected to the Larry Hoover case. He went ahead and organized a benefit concert for the former gang leader, his first headlining concert in over five years. Kanye wasn’t alone however as he had support from fellow Canadian rapper, Drake. Together, they were able to call the kind of public attention to the case that Winndye Jenkins couldn’t do in 50 years.
In a track titled Free My Father off Kanye’s 2021 album, “Donda”, Larry Jr. could be heard doing a voiceover, calling for his father’s freedom. Also, according to the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper, Kanye West was also in talks with then-president, Donald Trump, in 2018, lobbying for Larry’s lifetime sentence to be commuted.
On the ‘Drinks Champs’ podcast show, Kanye opened up about why he jumped on the ‘Free Larry Hoover’ train, saying he was fighting for “economic and political freedom,” and that he also got involved because “all his niggas is GD,” which meant that he knew a couple of Gangster Disciples members. It’s yet to be seen whether all the clout Kanye brought to the movement was effective, as Larry Hoover Sr. is still in prison at the time of this writing.
Quick Facts About Larry Hoover
- Who is Winndye Jenkins? Winndye Jenkins is an American personality known for being the longtime partner of Larry Hoover, co-founder of the Chicago street gang, Gangster Disciples.
- How long have Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover been together? Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover have been together for over five decades, dating back to the late 1960s.
- Are Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover married? While Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover have been in a committed relationship for a long time, they were never legally married due to restrictions from Hoover’s penitentiary. Winndye is considered to be his “common-law wife.”
- How many children do Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover have together? Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover have one son together, Larry Hoover Jr.
- Who is Larry Hoover Jr.? Larry Hoover Jr. is the son of Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover. He is believed to be around 35-40 years old and has appeared in interviews discussing his father’s situation and the benefit concert organized by Kanye West.
- What is the “Free Larry Hoover” concert? The “Free Larry Hoover” concert is a benefit event organized by Kanye West to raise awareness and support for the release of Larry Hoover from incarceration.
- Who are some notable people involved in the “Free Larry Hoover” concert? Kanye West and rapper Drake are some notable figures involved in the “Free Larry Hoover” concert.
- What has Winndye Jenkins said about Larry Hoover’s incarceration? Winndye Jenkins has expressed her disappointment and frustration with Hoover’s continued incarceration, stating that it is politically motivated and that they have been trying to get him released according to the law.
- How has Larry Hoover’s incarceration affected Winndye Jenkins and her family? Winndye Jenkins has been Larry Hoover’s connection to the outside world since his incarceration in 1973. The attention her family receives due to his notoriety has affected her son and grandson, who both share Hoover’s first name.
- What is the Larry Hoover Project? The Larry Hoover Project is an initiative started by Winndye Jenkins, Larry Hoover’s lawyer Justin A. Moore, and other supporters to seek clemency for Hoover or at least admit him into the “Step-Down Program” by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
- What is Winndye Jenkins’ net worth? Winndye Jenkins’ net worth is estimated to be around $4 million, though no verified sources confirm this.
- When and where did Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover get married? Winndye Jenkins and Larry Hoover were officially married on January 9, 2020, after numerous attempts to get married during Hoover’s incarceration.
- Who are Larry Hoover’s other children? Apart from Larry Hoover Jr., Larry Hoover has two other children, Larry Bernard and Tyree Hoover, from a previous relationship.
- How often does Winndye Jenkins visit Larry Hoover in prison? Winndye Jenkins visits her husband in prison whenever she can, bringing her children and grandchildren along. Visits are often very short, and the family can only see each other through glass. Sometimes, visitation rights are revoked without explanation.
- What is Winndye Jenkins’ connection to Kanye West? Winndye Jenkins’ connection to Kanye West stems from his involvement in the “Free Larry Hoover” concert, which aims to raise awareness and support for her partner’s release from incarceration.
