Cracking The Wire During Black Lives Matter

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.

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.

Cracking the Wire features a cover by esteemed artist Art Sims, who designed the posters for numerous Spike Lee films, including Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, Clockers, and When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, as well as The Color Purple, Dreamgirls, and Black Panther.