This was happening at a time when factory jobs were disappearing, and crack dealing looked like a better option.

However, crack was addictive, and its impact on black neighborhoods was devastating.

The abundance of raw cocaine from Colombia and the establishment of a link between Colombian cartels and inner-city crack merchants led to a devastating crack boom.

Crack was a global business, with cocaine coming from South America and being distributed through international networks. However, it was disproportionately low-income African Americans who sold and used crack at the local level. The drug was cheap, accessible, and offered a quick escape from the hardships of daily life.