When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era by Donovan X. Ramsey Published by One World, Penguin Random House on July 11, 2023
Genres: Non-Fiction / History / African American & Black
Pages: 448
Format: Hardcover
Source: Personal Copy
Buy on Amazon, Buy on Indigo
Goodreads
LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • A “vivid and frank” (NPR) account of the crack cocaine era and a community’s ultimate resilience, told through a cast of characters whose lives illuminate the dramatic rise and fall of the epidemic
“A master class in disrupting a stubborn narrative, a monumental feat for the fraught subject of addiction in Black communities.”—The Washington Post
“A poignant and compelling re-examination of a tragic era in America history . . . insightful . . . and deeply moving.”—Bryan Stevenson, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Just Mercy
FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD • ONE OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY AND VULTURE’S 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 SueThe crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s is arguably the least examined crisis in American history. Beginning with the myths inspired by Reagan’s war on drugs, journalist Donovan X. Ramsey’s 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.
When Crack Was King follows four individuals to give us a startling portrait of crack’s 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 “crack house”; 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, Newark’s most legendary group of drug traffickers.
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.
Review
The crack epidemic wasn’t what you think. Strip away thirty years of hysteria, political posturing, and media fear-mongering, and you’ll find a very different story. That’s exactly what Donovan X. Ramsey does in When Crack Was King – and the truth is more compelling than any headline.
This isn’t your typical “just say no” narrative. Instead, Ramsey introduces us to real people caught in the chaos: Elgin Swift, watching his father turn their home into a crack house; Lennie Woodley, fighting her way back from addiction and sex work; Kurt Schmoke, the Baltimore mayor brave enough to suggest maybe, just maybe, we should treat drugs as a health issue instead of a crime; and Shawn McCray, who went from dealing drugs to saving his community.
Ramsey grew up during this era, and it shows. He’s not just some detached journalist – he gets it. He tears down all those scary stories we were fed about “crack babies” and “super predators,” showing how this moral panic led to policies that hurt the very communities they were supposed to protect.
What makes this book special isn’t just the history – it’s the humanity. While politicians were declaring a “war on drugs,” real people were living through a war on their neighborhoods. But here’s the thing: these communities didn’t just roll over and die. They fought back, they adapted, they survived.
Sure, you might want more details about international drug cartels or specific policy solutions. But that’s not what this book is about. It’s about understanding how a single drug reshaped American cities, destroyed families, and changed our justice system – all while the people living through it showed incredible resilience.
The New York Times, Time, and The Washington Post all named it one of the year’s best books, and they’re right. This isn’t just history – it’s a wake-up call about how we deal with drugs, race, and power in America.
Bottom line: If you think you know the crack epidemic story, think again. Ramsey’s book will change how you see not just the ’80s and ’90s, but America itself. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s a solid 5/5.
