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In a Family of Black Cops, an Author Confronts His Race and Identity

Season 2026 Episode 8243 | 17m 28s

"The Black Shield" is an evocative memoir that looks at the complex relationship between race and policing in the U.S. In it, journalist Wilbert Cooper recounts his own life growing up as the son of two Black cops in Cleveland. The author tells us why he still feels conflicted about the profession that provided his family's livelihood while denying rights and freedoms to countless others.

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