Idris Elba, Michael B. Jordan, Wendell Pierce, Michael K. Williams -- first known as Stringer Bell, Wallace, Bunk, and Omar -- are just a few of the fruits of The Wire we enjoy today. Since its June 2, 2002, premiere, The Wire has been a slow burn, picking up steam each and every year since. As critics continue to grapple with the show and its enduring impact, some voices and perspectives have still yet to be heard. Cracking The Wire During Black Lives Matter remedies this oversight. This provocative exploration of HBO’s iconic show touches on issues of not just race, but also class, power, gender dynamics, police brutality, addiction, sexuality, and even representations of Baltimore itself through a Black Lives Matter lens for some, but Black reality for so many others. Regardless of perspective, Cracking The Wire During Black Lives Matter is an engaging and compelling conversation about one of the most important shows in television history.
ISBN: 9781949024289
Cracking The Wire During Black Lives Matter
Read the first collection of essays on HBO's The Wire written by all Black authors.
This original cover was designed by Art Sims (Do The Right Thing, New Jack City, Mo Better Blues).
Ronda Racha Penrice has covered entertainment, with a special emphasis on TV, for over twenty years, highlighting and chronicling Black contributions in front of and behind the scenes. Her work has appeared in various publications, including alternet, Salon, theGrio, The Root, NBCBLK, Zora, Essence, Africana.com, AOL BLackVoices, EBONYJET.com, Upscale, Uptown, and NBC Think. The Chicago native, with deep Mississippi roots, is a board member of both the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and the Black Women Film Network (BWFN), as well as the author of African American History for Dummies.
Essays by Odell hall, Sheree Renee Thomas, Ed Adams, Michael A. Gonzales, Julia Chance, Ericka Blount Danois, Mekeisha Madden toby, Danian Darrell Jerry, Seve Chambers, Adom M. Cooper, Scott Wilson, and Ronda Racha Penrice.