Overview
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āA master class in disrupting a stubborn narrative, a monumental feat for the fraught subject of addiction in Black communities.āāThe Washington Post
āA poignant and compelling re-examination of a tragic era in America history . . . insightful . . . and deeply moving.āāBryan Stevenson, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Just Mercy
FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD ā¢ ONE OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY AND VULTUREāS TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Time, The Washington Post, NPR, Chicago Public Library, Publishers Weekly, She Reads, Electric Lit, The Mary Sue
The crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s is arguably the least examined crisis in American history. Beginning with the myths inspired by Reaganās war on drugs, journalist Donovan X. Ramseyās exacting analysis traces the path from the last triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement to the devastating realities we live with today: a racist criminal justice system, continued mass incarceration and gentrification, and increased police brutality.
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When Crack Was King follows four individuals to give us a startling portrait of crackās destruction and devastating legacy: Elgin Swift, an archetype of American industry and ambition and the son of a crack-addicted father who turned their home into a ācrack houseā; Lennie Woodley, a former crack addict and sex worker; Kurt Schmoke, the longtime mayor of Baltimore and an early advocate of decriminalization; and Shawn McCray, community activist, basketball prodigy, and a founding member of the Zoo Crew, Newarkās most legendary group of drug traffickers.
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Weaving together riveting research with the voices of survivors, When Crack Was King is a crucial reevaluation of the era and a powerful argument for providing historically violated communities with the resources they deserve.
This book title, When Crack Was King (A People's History of a Misunderstood Era), ISBN: 9780525511816, by Donovan X. Ramsey, published by Random House Publishing Group (July 2, 2024) is available in paperback. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
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