What do you think?
The Black Shield: An American Memoir of Family and Power
Both an epic history and an intimate family story, a startling account of the lives of Black cops in one Midwestern city.
In the wake of the George Floyd protests, a Black police organization in Cleveland called the Black Shield was causing a stir. Officers broke ranks with their fellow cops, aligning themselves with local Black Lives Matter activists and supporting demands for radical reforms. In the midst of these fissures, Wilbert L. Cooper returned to his hometown to write a profile of the organization's president, who had become notorious years earlier for shooting a young unarmed Black man.
For Cooper, the news was deeply personal. Both of his parents are retired Black Cleveland cops, his sister was a Cleveland cop, and on his mother's side, there’s been a Cleveland cop in the family since 1950. Unearthing the dramatic histories of the Black Shield and his own family, Cooper tells the intertwined stories of the his relatives, who trace their roots back to the Great Migration and who chose policing because it was one of the few stepping stones to economic security and status in a segregated city; and an organization that, over decades of cultural and political upheaval, cycled endlessly between rebellion and acquiescence.
An intimate, bold work of literary nonfiction, The Black Shield is an urgent exploration of the complex duality of the Black cop. Cooper grapples with a knot of Is the Black officer a sign of progressive change, or of the system’s masterful way of changing its appearance without changing its outcomes? How can he reconcile the fact that policing helped lift his family out of poverty, and the equally real panic that accompanies being pulled over? Fearless and singularly powerful, Cooper gives us an American story about race and power of a kind that has never been told before.
In the wake of the George Floyd protests, a Black police organization in Cleveland called the Black Shield was causing a stir. Officers broke ranks with their fellow cops, aligning themselves with local Black Lives Matter activists and supporting demands for radical reforms. In the midst of these fissures, Wilbert L. Cooper returned to his hometown to write a profile of the organization's president, who had become notorious years earlier for shooting a young unarmed Black man.
For Cooper, the news was deeply personal. Both of his parents are retired Black Cleveland cops, his sister was a Cleveland cop, and on his mother's side, there’s been a Cleveland cop in the family since 1950. Unearthing the dramatic histories of the Black Shield and his own family, Cooper tells the intertwined stories of the his relatives, who trace their roots back to the Great Migration and who chose policing because it was one of the few stepping stones to economic security and status in a segregated city; and an organization that, over decades of cultural and political upheaval, cycled endlessly between rebellion and acquiescence.
An intimate, bold work of literary nonfiction, The Black Shield is an urgent exploration of the complex duality of the Black cop. Cooper grapples with a knot of Is the Black officer a sign of progressive change, or of the system’s masterful way of changing its appearance without changing its outcomes? How can he reconcile the fact that policing helped lift his family out of poverty, and the equally real panic that accompanies being pulled over? Fearless and singularly powerful, Cooper gives us an American story about race and power of a kind that has never been told before.
416 pages, Hardcover
Published August 25, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 2, 2026
I loved listening to this one. A fascinating marriage of memoir and history, Wilbert Cooper reflects on his parents' jobs as police officers with the Cleveland Police Department, how the CPD came to be in its current form, the Black Lives Matter movement and how it related to the CPD specifically, and even an exploration of the history of policing in general. I always love non-fiction that makes me care about the people it describes, and this did it perfectly.
I listened to this, and Cooper narrates. I don't always love when authors narrate their own books, but in this case, I think it was a perfect choice.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the audiobook.
I listened to this, and Cooper narrates. I don't always love when authors narrate their own books, but in this case, I think it was a perfect choice.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the audiobook.
Did Not Finish
August 4, 2026I gave up at 15%. I wasn’t prepared for a lot of history. More interested in hearing about their family personal experiences. Maybe that happens later in the book but I just don’t have the patience at the moment.
Thank you to Macmillan audio for my gifted audiobook.
Thank you to Macmillan audio for my gifted audiobook.
June 1, 2026
Neat blend of a man's memoir about his family and their involvement in the Cleveland police and the black police society the Black Shield, which, in turn, dives into some real intense thoughts about whether or not black officers can actually reform the police system in general, and actually takes a look at the organization itself, in combination with a city history of Cleveland police. Hell of a read and highly recommended in August.
September 7, 2026
*The Black Shield: An American Memoir of Family and Power* is a powerful and deeply personal exploration of race, family, policing, and power in America.
What makes this book especially compelling is the way Wilbert L. Cooper connects his family's history to the broader story of Black police officers in Cleveland. His return to the city in 2020 becomes more than an assignment; it becomes a journey into his own family's past and into the complicated realities faced by Black officers navigating both their communities and the institutions they serve.
The book brings together personal history, American history, and questions about race and power in a way that feels intimate without losing its larger significance. Cooper's exploration of the Great Migration, economic security, policing, reform, and the choices Black Americans have had to make within powerful institutions gives the story considerable depth.
Rather than offering simple answers, *The Black Shield* invites readers to think more carefully about the complicated relationship between identity, authority, family, and social change. It is an insightful work of literary nonfiction that stays personal while addressing questions much larger than one family.
A thoughtful and timely read for anyone interested in Black history, American policing, memoir, race, or the ways family stories can illuminate the larger forces shaping American life.
What makes this book especially compelling is the way Wilbert L. Cooper connects his family's history to the broader story of Black police officers in Cleveland. His return to the city in 2020 becomes more than an assignment; it becomes a journey into his own family's past and into the complicated realities faced by Black officers navigating both their communities and the institutions they serve.
The book brings together personal history, American history, and questions about race and power in a way that feels intimate without losing its larger significance. Cooper's exploration of the Great Migration, economic security, policing, reform, and the choices Black Americans have had to make within powerful institutions gives the story considerable depth.
Rather than offering simple answers, *The Black Shield* invites readers to think more carefully about the complicated relationship between identity, authority, family, and social change. It is an insightful work of literary nonfiction that stays personal while addressing questions much larger than one family.
A thoughtful and timely read for anyone interested in Black history, American policing, memoir, race, or the ways family stories can illuminate the larger forces shaping American life.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is a hell of a non fiction book. It is also part memoir as we are following the authors family from the 1950’s to current day as Black police officers in Cleveland.
I did read this via audiobook and I loved that the author narrated his own book. This is such a compelling read especially because we are getting the perspective of Black cops and why they are cops essentially.
I found the history of The Black Shield sooo interesting and I really appreciated the conversations around policing.
Well researched and the ending had me so emotional.
Please pick up!
Thank you Macmillan for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
I did read this via audiobook and I loved that the author narrated his own book. This is such a compelling read especially because we are getting the perspective of Black cops and why they are cops essentially.
I found the history of The Black Shield sooo interesting and I really appreciated the conversations around policing.
Well researched and the ending had me so emotional.
Please pick up!
Thank you Macmillan for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
August 26, 2026
A book that explores race and a family's life and experiences as black police officers. The Black Shield is an organization in Cleveland, Ohio. This book is a mixture of stories of Cooper’s relatives and the history of The Black Shield.
An interesting memoir and yet, personally, a little heavy information for me. I wanted more of the family stories. If you are a history buff and want to know more about this organization, how race plays a role in police departments and especially the history of the Cleveland police force, then you will likely enjoy this one.
CA | Contains some strong language.
[A big thank you to @macmillan.audio for the gifted ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.]
An interesting memoir and yet, personally, a little heavy information for me. I wanted more of the family stories. If you are a history buff and want to know more about this organization, how race plays a role in police departments and especially the history of the Cleveland police force, then you will likely enjoy this one.
CA | Contains some strong language.
[A big thank you to @macmillan.audio for the gifted ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.]
September 11, 2026
Part memoir, part history of policing in 20th century Cleveland. Sobering and compelling in many ways. While there is much to appreciate, I enjoyed reading about the rise and fall of affirmative action policies in the hiring of Black and women police officers and why AA policies are important.
September 21, 2026
Enjoyed what I read, but it went a little too deep historically for me. Maybe had I read further it would have gotten more into the author's personal experiences and those of his family. May pick up again in the future; ran out of time with library borrow.
September 21, 2026
A very interesting and well researched book, a bit of a memoir of the authors family as well as history of the police force in Cleveland. I thought I might lose interest in this, but it was well written and told mostly in narrative and first person accounts.
September 28, 2026
3.5, but I rounded up to reward the ambition. I wouldn’t recommend as a memoir for a general audience, but it’s great for someone with an interest in law enforcement policy as well as connections to Cleveland.
September 24, 2026
I should probably try to reread at some point. It was interesting
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A nonfiction, part memoir, book exploring the complex life of Black cops in a Midwestern city as well as giving insight into a Black cop’s family life.
Set in Cleveland and the Black police community, the Black Shield, there have been a Black police officers in the author’s family since the 1950s. Using two of his relatives, the author intertwines their lives starting in the Great Migration who chose policing because it was a “stepping stone” to economic security and status. In the 1970s, the US Commission on Civil Rights reported that police response times in black neighborhoods were as much as four times as long as those in “White-dominated districts .” Through lawsuits and other forces - between 1972 and 1985 an estimated sixty-six discrimination lawsuits were filed by the DOJ against major cities -, the “color” of the Cleveland police force changed bringing about less police brutality when the force was about 40% black. But Black officers were still in a predominantly white environment with a white policing ethic and in order to co-exist many Black officers co-opted to the white rules. As the author notes, among black men there is always “a very particular feeling” that arises when sirens blare and white and blue lights flash. In these time post George Floyd or Tamir Rice, that feeling makes sense. However it’s not enough to feel safe, Blacks want the freedom to feel that way as well.
This is a well written and researched book. Its journalistic and “real” voice made it a delight to read. I enjoyed the author’s family history and the pervasive sense that ran through the book that Blacks just want fairness and freedom from fear - though yesterday’s news (7/24) of a terrible shooting of a black man by police in one of my favorite cities, Madison, Wisconsin, brought home the fact we gave a long way to go (especially in this age of the ugly head of white supremacist idiocy). Frankly when I asked for access to this ARC (my thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux), I wasn’t sure what to expect but what I got was a superior story and a book that white people like me should take the time to read and feel the Black experience.
Highly recommend.
I gave this book five stars because of the relevancy of its topic, because books like this about the Black experience must be written and published so history cannot be erased and because I derived great enjoyment in the read.
Set in Cleveland and the Black police community, the Black Shield, there have been a Black police officers in the author’s family since the 1950s. Using two of his relatives, the author intertwines their lives starting in the Great Migration who chose policing because it was a “stepping stone” to economic security and status. In the 1970s, the US Commission on Civil Rights reported that police response times in black neighborhoods were as much as four times as long as those in “White-dominated districts .” Through lawsuits and other forces - between 1972 and 1985 an estimated sixty-six discrimination lawsuits were filed by the DOJ against major cities -, the “color” of the Cleveland police force changed bringing about less police brutality when the force was about 40% black. But Black officers were still in a predominantly white environment with a white policing ethic and in order to co-exist many Black officers co-opted to the white rules. As the author notes, among black men there is always “a very particular feeling” that arises when sirens blare and white and blue lights flash. In these time post George Floyd or Tamir Rice, that feeling makes sense. However it’s not enough to feel safe, Blacks want the freedom to feel that way as well.
This is a well written and researched book. Its journalistic and “real” voice made it a delight to read. I enjoyed the author’s family history and the pervasive sense that ran through the book that Blacks just want fairness and freedom from fear - though yesterday’s news (7/24) of a terrible shooting of a black man by police in one of my favorite cities, Madison, Wisconsin, brought home the fact we gave a long way to go (especially in this age of the ugly head of white supremacist idiocy). Frankly when I asked for access to this ARC (my thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux), I wasn’t sure what to expect but what I got was a superior story and a book that white people like me should take the time to read and feel the Black experience.
Highly recommend.
I gave this book five stars because of the relevancy of its topic, because books like this about the Black experience must be written and published so history cannot be erased and because I derived great enjoyment in the read.
August 27, 2026
Both a memoir and research into the history of police and policing, this book is well-researched and well written. Packs a punch and doesn’t get bogged down, much is told through narrative story. I appreciated the intimate look through the stories of his family combined with the staggering facts alongside.
The author includes the nuance, good with the bad, and contradictions. Mostly presented as facts, Cooper doesn’t overly analyze or draw many conclusions or give action steps. It’s really a look into historical problems and an attempt to answer some questions such as: can the Black police care for their community better than institutional police or AS institutional police? By digging into the archives of Cleveland police force. A needed conversation on the topic of policing.
“The image can be read countless ways but sometimes when I look at it I hear Dad’s voice saying something like “that black cop is the only reason that Henry and Diana survived. I bet if he hadn’t been there the whites would’ve finished the job.” This is the narrative of the parents in the JFK youth who called for more black officers might agree with. Bad as this shooting was, as bad as America is, the black cop could keep it from being even worse. But as I survey the American wreckage from the great migration to the Black Lives Matter movement I ask myself if there is anything worse than being occupied and being dominated and not being free. My father would certainly say, “Yes. Being dead.”
The author includes the nuance, good with the bad, and contradictions. Mostly presented as facts, Cooper doesn’t overly analyze or draw many conclusions or give action steps. It’s really a look into historical problems and an attempt to answer some questions such as: can the Black police care for their community better than institutional police or AS institutional police? By digging into the archives of Cleveland police force. A needed conversation on the topic of policing.
“The image can be read countless ways but sometimes when I look at it I hear Dad’s voice saying something like “that black cop is the only reason that Henry and Diana survived. I bet if he hadn’t been there the whites would’ve finished the job.” This is the narrative of the parents in the JFK youth who called for more black officers might agree with. Bad as this shooting was, as bad as America is, the black cop could keep it from being even worse. But as I survey the American wreckage from the great migration to the Black Lives Matter movement I ask myself if there is anything worse than being occupied and being dominated and not being free. My father would certainly say, “Yes. Being dead.”
August 20, 2026
3.25
This has a lot more very specific Ohio history than I expected. I much preferred the sections where the author focused on his own family and their experiences as members of the police force.
I sort of struggled with this one. It had lulls that felt really slow/boring, but then sections that were extremely interesting and gave me a lot to think about. Overall, it feels a little uneven (and again, I think a lot of that is due to the long portions of history when I really was more interested in the personal reckonings of the author’s family.)
This has a lot more very specific Ohio history than I expected. I much preferred the sections where the author focused on his own family and their experiences as members of the police force.
I sort of struggled with this one. It had lulls that felt really slow/boring, but then sections that were extremely interesting and gave me a lot to think about. Overall, it feels a little uneven (and again, I think a lot of that is due to the long portions of history when I really was more interested in the personal reckonings of the author’s family.)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews