Sons of Anarchy introduced the motorcycle club of the same name, which went through many changes throughout the series, but what’s the origin and history of SAMCRO? Created by Kurt Sutter, who also played Otto Delaney in the series, Sons of Anarchy premiered on FX in 2008 and was very well-received from the beginning, with most praise going towards the performances of the main cast and the themes the show addressed. Sons of Anarchy came to an end in 2014 after seven seasons and lots of betrayals, deaths, and changes within the title club.
Sons of Anarchy explores the many conflicts of the club through the story of Jackson “Jax” Teller (Charlie Hunnam), the club’s VP and son of one of its founding . The events of the series begin when Jax finds the manifesto his father wrote in which he detailed his plans and vision for the club, which were the opposite of those of the current President (and Jax’s stepfather), Clay Morrow (Ron Perlman). This and other conflicts send Jax on a personal journey that makes him question his path, role in the club, relationships, and more. Although Sons of Anarchy focuses on the present and future of the club, it also shared some bits of its backstory, and as expected, it's one full of drama.
Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original, best known as SAMCRO, is the mother charter of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club based in Charming, California. The club was founded in 1967 by John "JT" Teller and Piermont ‘Piney’ Winston (Willaim Lucking) when they returned from the war. JT and Piney served two years in Vietnam, and when they returned home, they saw the deterioration of their country and faced discrimination and economic hardship, which was a common issue for many Vietnam veterans. JT and Piney then formed the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club in hopes that through it they could rediscover the feeling of brotherhood they found while in Vietnam.
The first charter of the club was settled in Charming and began with nine , known as the “First 9”: JT, Piney, Lenny ‘The Pimp’ Janowitz, Wally Grazer, Thomas Whitney, Chico Vellenueva, Keith McGee, Otto ‘Lil Killer’ Moran, and Clay Morrow. Clay was the last one to SAMCRO and the youngest of the First 9, as well as one of three who were not war veterans, though he later served in the military. JT was the President of SAMCRO until his death in 1993, with Piney serving as VP, and while Clay took over as President after JT's death, Piney remained as VP until Jax was old enough to take a seat at the table, after which he stepped down, though he was still a member of the club.
As years ed, most were either imprisoned or killed, and by the time Sons of Anarchy begins, the only survivors of the First 9 were Piney, Clay, Lenny, and Keith McGee, though by the end of the series, only Lenny was still alive. The origins of SAMCRO were all about brotherhood, but its history was quickly tainted by the greed of like Clay, who pushed for the club’s gun-running business even though JT was against it. Unfortunately, the Sons of Anarchy club continued to be plagued by tragedy and betrayal, which ultimately led to Jax’s death in the series finale.