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A review by bgg616
S Street Rising: Crack, Murder, and Redemption in D.C. by Rubén Castañeda
4.0
My book group was honored by the presence of the author. While sometimes this could be intimidating, Castaneda is a searingly honest and open person, characteristics that likely make him such a great journalist. This is not always an easy book to read as Castaneda describes in depth his descent into crack and alcohol addiction. He arrived in Washington DC from LA at the height of the DC crack epidemic. Not only was crack endemic, but so was murder. For several years running, murder totals close to 500 deaths. Most of the victims were young African American men, and east of 16th St., one of the main streets that runs the total length of the District, and divided the wealthy mostly white part of the capital from the poorer, majority black section of the city. I use the past tense because runaway gentrification has changed the racial profile of DC. I work in a university immediately adjacent to the Trinidad neighborhood. This is a neighborhood that has experienced spikes of crime so violent that at times the police have barricaded the area, only admitting residents. Kitty corner to Trinidad, the neighborhood facing my university is now labeled by some realtors as Capitol Hill despite the fact that it lies 15 blocks north of the center of what is traditionally considered "the hill".
S Street Rising also tells stories that reveal the depth of the corruption of some parts of the DC government. At the center of these stories is the late Marion Barry, dubbed "mayor for life" in the 90's. Barry is infamous as the mayor caught smoking crack -the first but then followed by others, most recently Toronto mayor Rob Ford. The book doesn't mention that Barry rose to prominence in part because of his history as a Civil Rights leader. It is hard at times to reconcile the two Marion Barrys, but it is clear in this book that he also commanded a huge political machine, fueled by financial malfeasance, and corruption.
There are heroes in this story including the police captain, Leo Hennessy, and Pastor Jim who establishes a church on S Street, in the middle of a crack zone. Hennessy has enemies, and some with political power go after him. Pastor Jim sets up Manna, an organization that helps working class residents buy homes. Manna was enormously successful. It still exists but is struggling to survive in the face of escalating property values.
Anyone interested in urban America, and specifically in Washington DC will find this a fascinating read.
S Street Rising also tells stories that reveal the depth of the corruption of some parts of the DC government. At the center of these stories is the late Marion Barry, dubbed "mayor for life" in the 90's. Barry is infamous as the mayor caught smoking crack -the first but then followed by others, most recently Toronto mayor Rob Ford. The book doesn't mention that Barry rose to prominence in part because of his history as a Civil Rights leader. It is hard at times to reconcile the two Marion Barrys, but it is clear in this book that he also commanded a huge political machine, fueled by financial malfeasance, and corruption.
There are heroes in this story including the police captain, Leo Hennessy, and Pastor Jim who establishes a church on S Street, in the middle of a crack zone. Hennessy has enemies, and some with political power go after him. Pastor Jim sets up Manna, an organization that helps working class residents buy homes. Manna was enormously successful. It still exists but is struggling to survive in the face of escalating property values.
Anyone interested in urban America, and specifically in Washington DC will find this a fascinating read.