In a new South Side Chicago–based novel, former gang boss Harold “Noonie G” Ward explores the hard truth that leaving the block doesn’t mean the block leaves you.
Urban legend Harold “Noonie G” Ward, a native of Chicago’s Altgeld Gardens, is a reformed Gangster Disciple leader turned community activist, youth mentor, and entrepreneur. His fourth book, Altgeld, is a gripping work of fiction drawn from true recollections of his turbulent past. Written from lived experience, not speculation, the project is powerfully shaped in collaboration with featured contributor Tamara Johnson.
Chicago, IL — Reality, redemption, and the rough edges of Chicago’s South Side have shaped the legacy of urban legend Harold “Noonie G” Ward for decades. Raised in Chicago’s Altgeld Gardens, Ward — a reformed Gangster Disciple leader turned community activist, youth mentor, and entrepreneur — returns with his fourth book, Altgeld, a gripping work of fiction drawn from true recollections of his turbulent past. Written from lived experience, not speculation, the project is powerfully shaped in collaboration with featured contributor Tamara Johnson, who has known Ward for decades and played a key role in helping bring the story to life. Long defined by both violence and resilience, Altgeld Gardens is one of Chicago’s tight-knit South Side housing complexes shaped by isolation, systemic neglect, and enduring community strength.
Within the pages of Altgeld, the weight of yesterday comes collecting on the present and threatening the future, as protagonist Noonie is forced to confront deeds he believed were long buried. When Jaden, a young mentee from the Altgeld Gardens community center, becomes unwittingly entangled in unfinished business from the past, Noonie must move with discipline and intention — not recklessness — keenly aware that one wrong decision could cost everything.
Ward’s personal journey is itself a dauntless story of challenge and transformation. Once considered a national force of fear emerging from Chicago’s South Side, Ward has spent decades committed to reversing the damage of circumstances he understands firsthand. A former gang leader who chose responsibility over destruction, he has dedicated his life to creating corrective pathways for others to follow.
Larry Hoover, political prisoner and founder of the Gangster Disciples, once hand-selected Ward to help implement a new direction for the organization. Recently pardoned by President Donald Trump, Hoover’s vision emphasized “Growth and Development” over violence, marking a pivotal shift toward community betterment and self-determination.
Altgeld stands as both a cautionary tale and a testament to a truth Ward has lived all too well. As noted in the book’s foreword by writer Tamara Johnson, “Leaving the block doesn’t mean the block leaves you.” A legacy builder, activist, and financial educator, Johnson was born and raised on Chicago’s South Side and brings firsthand experience, perspective, and purpose to the project. Raised by a single mother of nine children, she embodies the same resilience and self-determination that anchors the book’s message — that survival does not have to be the final chapter. Her involvement grounds Altgeld in authenticity, accountability, and evolution, reinforcing the truth at the heart of the story.
“This book isn’t about glorifying the streets. It’s about telling the truth — the consequences, the damage, and the responsibility that comes with surviving,” says Ward. “Altgeld is about accountability — facing what you’ve done, who you were, and who you still have a chance to become. I’ve always believed that if I can stop even one young person from repeating my mistakes, then telling my story — even the ugly parts — is worth it. Chicago raised me, tested me, and nearly destroyed me. Altgeld is my way of honoring that truth while pointing toward something better.”
Rooted deeply in hip hop culture, Altgeld continues Ward’s long-standing literary commitment to community reform and truth-telling. His debut book and DVD release, Gangster with a Heart of Gold: The Noonie G Story, featured narration and forewords by Chicago natives Ye (Kanye West) and Common, marking an early intersection of culture, credibility, and lived experience.
With Gangstanomics and its sequel, Gangstanomics II: Prisonomics, Ward further broke down the real economics of the hood, using his own life as a deterrent for those at risk of following the same destructive path. Gangstanomics II included a foreword contribution from rap legend 50 Cent, along with the music release “Money In My Hand,” produced by Ye and featuring Trey Songz, Dwele, and Twista.
Ward continues to move culture with the seasoned wisdom only a true OG can dispense. Behind the scenes, he played an instrumental role in the success of Ye and Drake’s Free Larry Hoover benefit concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, livestreamed globally on Amazon Prime Video.
Earlier in his activist journey, Ward worked alongside Barack Obama in Altgeld Gardens and organized Chicago’s first National Gang Summit for Peace, attended by Russell Simmons, the late NFL legend Jim Brown, and Louis Farrakhan. Today, Ward remains an in-demand speaker, regularly visiting schools, prisons, and community centers nationwide to lead workshops addressing violence prevention, decision-making, and life transformation.
At its core, Altgeld is about accountability — confronting who you were, owning what you’ve done, and deciding who you still have the power to become. The book is currently being developed into a scripted series and is in pre-production, with a formal announcement forthcoming.
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