Overview

Cocaine True, Cocaine Blue is a devastating, clear-eyed, and profoundly moving portrait of American communities caught in the grip of the crack cocaine epidemic. Acclaimed photojournalist Eugene Richards delivers an uncompromising look at the human toll of addiction, systemic neglect, and isolation within three heavily impacted neighborhoods: East New York, North Philadelphia, and the Red Hook housing projects in Brooklyn, New York.

Through raw, intimate black-and-white photography and deeply personal text, Richards goes beyond the statistics to humanize the families, children, and individuals struggling to survive within the drug trade. This seminal work serves as both a historical record and a powerful social critique, exposing how early public policy and societal solutions often exacerbated isolation and fueled public denial rather than offering true resolution.

The volume features crucial reporting contributions from Edward Barnes and concludes with a chilling, deeply informative afterword by Dr. Stephen W. Nicholas, a pediatric AIDS physician working on the frontlines in Harlem. It remains an essential masterwork of documentary photography and social advocacy.

Key Features

• Uncompromising Photojournalism: Features visceral, intimate black-and-white imagery by master photographer Eugene Richards, capturing the lived realities of the drug epidemic.
• In-Depth Community Focus: Provides an immersive look at three distinct urban landscapes: East New York, North Philadelphia, and Red Hook, Brooklyn.
• Expert Perspectives: Includes textual reporting alongside an analytical afterword by pediatric AIDS specialist Dr. Stephen W. Nicholas, adding critical medical and sociological context to the visual narrative.
• Social Commentary: Explores the systemic failures, societal denial, and policy shortcomings that isolated these communities during a national crisis.

Product Specifications

VF in wraps. [9.5]