Donovan X. Ramsey

A consideration of the history of the crack evidence from sources "on the ground" throughout that experience.

The author described the development of crack from freebase, its spread across America, policy responses to the crack epidemic, the fearmongering about crack, and how the crack epidemic "resolved" itself.

Throughout he intersperses the life narrative of a series of people he has interviewed across the spectrum of the experience: the mayor of Baltimore; young people on both coasts; those who ended up using crack, those who sold it, and those whose lives were forever affected by it.

The author sympathizes with the plight of those caught up in the crack epidemic while remaining clear eyed about what crack did and how it affected people, families, and communities. He does well at contextualizing the crack epidemic in terms of the post-industrialization of American urban areas and the heavy handed response against Black liberation movements of the 1970s. He discusses the belief that crack flooded the cities because of CIA actions; he concludes it was not a deliberate policy but something the government was more than happy to look beyond or past even while they demonized and criminalized those who used crack. He concludes by telling the end of the story for each of his characters and how the next generation avoided crack after seeing what it had done for those who had come before them.

The author succeeds admirably at his goal of contextualizing and better explaining how the crack epidemic exploded and how it turned out the way it did. A lot of people covered themselves in shame in the way they demonized and condemned those who fell prey to the addiction while ultimately proving indifferent to their ultimate plight. The endeavor understandably took a heavy toll on the author's mental health; may he be healed and be gratified by the reception of the work he has done.

**--galley received as part of early review program… (més)

When Crack Was King by Donovan X Ramsey is a much-needed corrective to the destructive myths that have, and continue, to influence drug policy in the United States. Told through both a broad historical lens and a personal lens, which allows the sociological aspects to have more impact than statistics alone.

The four main people with whom we move through this period of history offer insight through what they did at that time as well as what they have done since. It is at once a story, taken together, of a government (and society) failing its own citizens (often willingly and intentionally) and a community (broadly speaking) that comes together to survive the epidemic. It is very much about paying it forward as well.

While this is important as a history, it should also serve as a warning about how many groups will be sacrificed if those in power have their way. Those currently helping to make policy (not just drug policy) as well as activists need to read this with an eye toward understanding how to spot and counter the future occurrences of governmental neglect of populations, and there will be more instances. Learn about and from the past to make the future (and ideally the present) better.

While this is definitely recommended for history readers, it is also recommended for those active in confronting our current crises. We can try to get our government to actually work for all of us, but in the meantime we need to understand how we can band together to close those gaps that allow far too many of us to fall through.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (més)