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A Beautiful Ghetto
On April 18th, 2015, Baltimore erupted into mass protests in response to the brutal and heinous murder of Freddie Gray by the Baltimore police. Suddenly, the eyes of the world turned to Baltimore. In nearly 100 stunning black and white photos, Allen documents the uprising, his city, and the people who live there, revealing a world of love, courage, struggle and hope. Each photo reveals the personality, beauty and spirit of Baltimore and those who live there, as his camera complicates the stereotype of a “ghetto”. We find smiles where one might least expect them, hope doing battle against a system that sows desperation and fear, and above all, resistance, to the unrelenting pressures of racism in twenty-first-century America. ““Allen’s work demonstrates a connection between resistance as a daily activity, a way of life in the ghetto, and resistance as a political act, as played out in the streets last spring. He documents resistance without judgment, without asking the usual questions that outsiders Is it justified? Is it effective? Is it legal? Resistance is represented not as a tactic, but as a fundamental aspect of life.”
— Washington Post Devin Allen is one of the first amateur photographers to have their his work featured on the cover of Time magazine. His photographs have also appeared in New York Magazine , the Washington Post , the New York Times , CNN, BBC, NBC News, Aperture Magazine , and Yahoo! .
— Washington Post Devin Allen is one of the first amateur photographers to have their his work featured on the cover of Time magazine. His photographs have also appeared in New York Magazine , the Washington Post , the New York Times , CNN, BBC, NBC News, Aperture Magazine , and Yahoo! .
124 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 4, 2017
I don't really know this city. I go to church just outside of downtown, yet it's so far away from where I live that I don't consider it as part of my community. Devin Allen opened my eyes to the reality of Baltimore with his stark black-and-white photographs that portray everyday life and the uprising in 2015. Some images made me think of a war-torn foreign country. This is my state? This is Baltimore? Yes, much as we don't want to admit the divisions to ourselves. I can't pretend to identify with the city or call it my own, but I can try to understand.
November 30, 2022
Back in the winter of 2016, a little less than a year after the Baltimore Uprising, I was able to see Allen and his work in person at a gallery opening in Philadelphia. I'd been familiar with his most iconic photos already, and remember being struck by the power of his work beyond them that I got to encounter there. I had recently moved to a neighborhood of North Philly that in many ways paralleled the communities Allen came from and was documenting in Baltimore, and I loved the ways his work captured both the beauty and brokenness there, with an emphasis on the former rather than the latter. Nearly four years later, I discovered that this book had been published and was eager to order a copy given how much his work had resonated with me in the gallery.
It was a happy surprise to see the five essays offering a prelude to the photographs, and I think the book is strengthened significantly by them. Those written by Keeanga-Yahmatta Taylor and Aaron Bryant are more academic, offering critical sociohistorical context to the realities of Baltimore that set the stage for the Uprising and giving language and framework to some of the uniquely impactful ways Allen's photographs speak to that. The ones penned by D. Watkins, Wes Moore, and Gail Allen-Kearny are more personal, sharing anecdotes about Allen, Freddie Gray, and Baltimore at large; the one by Allen-Kearny provides an especially effective and accessible timeline of the three decades preceding the era the photos were taken through the eyes of someone who was there for it all. The poetry by Tariq Touré also offers moving openings for the two sections of photographs.
The photographs themselves are organized into two sections. "A Beautiful Ghetto" features a collection of mostly candid images featuring everyday life in Black communities of Baltimore. There are some that depict its hardships, sometimes explicitly when Allen focuses on a dilapidated building, a needle found on the ground, or a makeshift street shrine for someone who has past. Other times, these realities are featured subtly in the background as buildings with boarded up windows or shirts that proclaim "we must stop killing each other." However, as I noted above and as the title proclaims, it's clear that Allen's purpose in this collection is to portray his community with love, appreciation, and honor rather than derision or judgement. To that extent, there are far more photos that show moments of joy, community, and the simple resilience of ordinary life: people sitting on stoops and in front of corner stores, young boys playing in an open fire hydrant and older ones riding motorbikes. These are interspersed with more formal portraits, some of which feel subtly subversive in contrast to who is often portrayed in the pages of a book of photographs. There are ways in which some of these images feel cliche, like stock footage of "inner city" scenes, but in many you can see an intimacy with the subject that's likely been earned by Allen's lifelong presence there (though there are still some in which his subject seems to regard him with befuddlement, reservation, or even anger). My assumption is that many of these are from the earlier days in his career, and there are some that I didn't find much artistry or impact in that maybe could've been cut or replaced, but overall it's a strong collection.
In the second section, "Uprising," the same critique could be leveled at some of the images that are featured, but benefits from a more cohesive and consistent thematic story across all the images that elevates lackluster photos into a larger narrative. Many of these photographs are stunning on their own (including the one featured on the cover) but the collection as a whole is what's truly phenomenal. Allen truly captured the entirety of an uprising of social movement and resistance, and throughout the images you're given a strong sense of the spectrum of emotions, from outrage and tension and devastation and hope, through the cadre of moments of he presents. Compared to the first section, the craftsmanship here feels radically advanced and a number of the shots are premier examples of framing, focus, and shadowplay. Given the subject material, many of these photos are strikingly cinematic, and thus only imbued with more power by the recognition that they're all real. If "A Beautiful Ghetto" is a love song from Allen to his community's oft-ignored beauty, then "Uprising" is an amplification of that which offers us an ode to their power. I'm eager to see Allen's trajectory from here, but this will be a difficult first book to beat.
It was a happy surprise to see the five essays offering a prelude to the photographs, and I think the book is strengthened significantly by them. Those written by Keeanga-Yahmatta Taylor and Aaron Bryant are more academic, offering critical sociohistorical context to the realities of Baltimore that set the stage for the Uprising and giving language and framework to some of the uniquely impactful ways Allen's photographs speak to that. The ones penned by D. Watkins, Wes Moore, and Gail Allen-Kearny are more personal, sharing anecdotes about Allen, Freddie Gray, and Baltimore at large; the one by Allen-Kearny provides an especially effective and accessible timeline of the three decades preceding the era the photos were taken through the eyes of someone who was there for it all. The poetry by Tariq Touré also offers moving openings for the two sections of photographs.
The photographs themselves are organized into two sections. "A Beautiful Ghetto" features a collection of mostly candid images featuring everyday life in Black communities of Baltimore. There are some that depict its hardships, sometimes explicitly when Allen focuses on a dilapidated building, a needle found on the ground, or a makeshift street shrine for someone who has past. Other times, these realities are featured subtly in the background as buildings with boarded up windows or shirts that proclaim "we must stop killing each other." However, as I noted above and as the title proclaims, it's clear that Allen's purpose in this collection is to portray his community with love, appreciation, and honor rather than derision or judgement. To that extent, there are far more photos that show moments of joy, community, and the simple resilience of ordinary life: people sitting on stoops and in front of corner stores, young boys playing in an open fire hydrant and older ones riding motorbikes. These are interspersed with more formal portraits, some of which feel subtly subversive in contrast to who is often portrayed in the pages of a book of photographs. There are ways in which some of these images feel cliche, like stock footage of "inner city" scenes, but in many you can see an intimacy with the subject that's likely been earned by Allen's lifelong presence there (though there are still some in which his subject seems to regard him with befuddlement, reservation, or even anger). My assumption is that many of these are from the earlier days in his career, and there are some that I didn't find much artistry or impact in that maybe could've been cut or replaced, but overall it's a strong collection.
In the second section, "Uprising," the same critique could be leveled at some of the images that are featured, but benefits from a more cohesive and consistent thematic story across all the images that elevates lackluster photos into a larger narrative. Many of these photographs are stunning on their own (including the one featured on the cover) but the collection as a whole is what's truly phenomenal. Allen truly captured the entirety of an uprising of social movement and resistance, and throughout the images you're given a strong sense of the spectrum of emotions, from outrage and tension and devastation and hope, through the cadre of moments of he presents. Compared to the first section, the craftsmanship here feels radically advanced and a number of the shots are premier examples of framing, focus, and shadowplay. Given the subject material, many of these photos are strikingly cinematic, and thus only imbued with more power by the recognition that they're all real. If "A Beautiful Ghetto" is a love song from Allen to his community's oft-ignored beauty, then "Uprising" is an amplification of that which offers us an ode to their power. I'm eager to see Allen's trajectory from here, but this will be a difficult first book to beat.
May 2, 2019
I had chills while reading A Beautiful Ghetto. Part of it was seeing beautiful Black faces in environments that seem anything but that, based on social standards. Allen, however, captures everyday life in Baltimore with a brutal honesty that is truly compelling. There are pictures of children lounging on a rowhouse’s marble steps. Men in a barber shop. Dirt bike riders showing off tricks. Some images are less savory, though. Boarded up rowhouses. Vacant lots filled with debris. A streetside memorial.
Allen also presents pain through images of the April 2015 uprisings in response the death of Freddie Gray, a young Black man who died from injuries sustained while in police custody. These are harder to look at — there’s an acute sense of pain, anger, and frustration conveyed that take me back to the days I wanted the uprising unfold from my living room only an hour away from Baltimore. The juxtaposition of destroyed property, police positioned in opposition against activists and protesters, and visible pain alongside hope shown through poignant signs, crowds of marchers, and impassioned speakers is powerful.
The book actually starts with many forewords. One is from a Baltimorean author, a Princeton professor, an anti-poverty activist & entrepreneur, a Smithsonian curator, and the author’s mother. All convey how special and necessary a book such as this really is. It is an opportunity for Baltimore to have a voice; for it to present its truth in its own words to a world that largely sits back and judges from what is seen in the news and other media. The book also features introductory poems from Tariq Toure, also of Baltimore. Together, these words pull together a sense of purpose to this work — it puts the story back into the hands of those who lived it.
Allen’s photographs have been described as “a window into the heart of the frustration and outrage of a community in response to police brutality not only in their own city, but nationwide” by the Gordon Parks Foundation, where his work was on exhibition. Allen’s ability to convey the pain and fatigue of the Baltimore community is remarkable and simultaneously hard to see but impossible to turn from. In the author’s own words, A Beautiful Ghetto is “a visual story of the uprising … a challenge to the stigma, to show the beautiful side of the ghetto.” Allen absolutely accomplishes this. While his images don’t sugarcoat the reality of Baltimore’s Black neighborhoods, they do show its humanity, unity, and unwavering resilience.
Would I recommend this book? I already have to every Baltimore native I know, and will continue to sing its praises.
Allen also presents pain through images of the April 2015 uprisings in response the death of Freddie Gray, a young Black man who died from injuries sustained while in police custody. These are harder to look at — there’s an acute sense of pain, anger, and frustration conveyed that take me back to the days I wanted the uprising unfold from my living room only an hour away from Baltimore. The juxtaposition of destroyed property, police positioned in opposition against activists and protesters, and visible pain alongside hope shown through poignant signs, crowds of marchers, and impassioned speakers is powerful.
The book actually starts with many forewords. One is from a Baltimorean author, a Princeton professor, an anti-poverty activist & entrepreneur, a Smithsonian curator, and the author’s mother. All convey how special and necessary a book such as this really is. It is an opportunity for Baltimore to have a voice; for it to present its truth in its own words to a world that largely sits back and judges from what is seen in the news and other media. The book also features introductory poems from Tariq Toure, also of Baltimore. Together, these words pull together a sense of purpose to this work — it puts the story back into the hands of those who lived it.
Allen’s photographs have been described as “a window into the heart of the frustration and outrage of a community in response to police brutality not only in their own city, but nationwide” by the Gordon Parks Foundation, where his work was on exhibition. Allen’s ability to convey the pain and fatigue of the Baltimore community is remarkable and simultaneously hard to see but impossible to turn from. In the author’s own words, A Beautiful Ghetto is “a visual story of the uprising … a challenge to the stigma, to show the beautiful side of the ghetto.” Allen absolutely accomplishes this. While his images don’t sugarcoat the reality of Baltimore’s Black neighborhoods, they do show its humanity, unity, and unwavering resilience.
Would I recommend this book? I already have to every Baltimore native I know, and will continue to sing its praises.
August 23, 2018
Primarily this is a book of photography, and the photos are marvelous.
The book also contains 5 short essays and then 3 poems by Tariq Toure.
The first essay, by D. Watkins, was a waste. Watkins struck me as a jerk.
The second essay, by Keenga-Yamatta Taylor, was superb.
The final essay by Devin Allen's Mom became more moving as it went.
The poems by Tariq Toure are a fine addition to the photos.
But primarily it is the photos. Inspired by the death by police of Freddie Gray, the photos capture African-American community in West Baltimore, its joy and anger.
The book also contains 5 short essays and then 3 poems by Tariq Toure.
The first essay, by D. Watkins, was a waste. Watkins struck me as a jerk.
The second essay, by Keenga-Yamatta Taylor, was superb.
The final essay by Devin Allen's Mom became more moving as it went.
The poems by Tariq Toure are a fine addition to the photos.
But primarily it is the photos. Inspired by the death by police of Freddie Gray, the photos capture African-American community in West Baltimore, its joy and anger.
December 30, 2024
This collection is startling and beautiful and really truly affecting. His attention to kids is so powerful. I like the way the book is divided. Some of the photos are so inter generational. The last photo made me shed multiple thug tears. This alongside mortivivum/some of Hartmans work on the ocular is very important. Sharpe shouted this out in ordinary notes and my local anti black used bookstore had this for 5$. Excited to keep following Devin Allen.
January 26, 2025
First time a picture has made me cry was while reading this book. What a beautiful heartfelt depiction of Baltimore and its people and the bravery and love present in uprisings where folks protesting the murder of Freddie Gray were deemed as “thugs.” I’m so moved. To see a community unify and fight for their people is so beautiful. I so deeply resonate with and respect the way Devin Allen photographs as well.
July 18, 2020
Remarkable photographs!
January 26, 2021
Essential.
October 3, 2017
As the introductory material suggests, these photographs, despite their coverage, are in no way exploitative but compassionate, a rich capturing of poor communities and the uprising that sprung out of it. It is no wonder this amateur was discovered on Instagram by Time and the like. I hope his fellowship takes him further and that his own educational program uplifts the next generation of his neighbors.
December 3, 2017
Written with passion, punctuated by stark photography, this is a gripping and convicting story of our current social climate-unblinking, raw, honest.
August 31, 2022
A great way to learn about Baltimore, the story that doesn't get told to those outside of Baltimore City....
November 6, 2017
The introductions to the artists and the books are essential to understanding the pictures presented inside.
The pictures were evocative and really helped give perspective on neighborhoods in Baltimore I have not really been part of. My favorite part was the artist's eye on events during the uprising, particularly some of the images of the confrontation with the white sports crowd.
I would have liked the images to have some captions or information to help contextualize the people a bit more. I also really wanted to see some of the images taken from the most recent uprising imposed against images taken of the uprising in 1968, would have made for a powerful comparison.
Well worth reading, the majority is beautiful black and white pictures, so you can read and explore at your leisure and as quickly or slowly as you want.
The pictures were evocative and really helped give perspective on neighborhoods in Baltimore I have not really been part of. My favorite part was the artist's eye on events during the uprising, particularly some of the images of the confrontation with the white sports crowd.
I would have liked the images to have some captions or information to help contextualize the people a bit more. I also really wanted to see some of the images taken from the most recent uprising imposed against images taken of the uprising in 1968, would have made for a powerful comparison.
Well worth reading, the majority is beautiful black and white pictures, so you can read and explore at your leisure and as quickly or slowly as you want.
October 23, 2022
I have a different edition (the one from Haymarket Books) so I don’t actually know if the one pictured has the same essays and poems included as the one I spent my afternoon with. But I hope it does!
.
Here’s my review from Insta:
This book is a fucking STUNNER.
I expected the gorgeous photographs from Devin Allen.
I did not expect the heart wrenching poems from Tariq Touré.
I did not expect the compelling intro essays, including a torcher from Allen’s mom.
I didn’t expect, and maybe wasn’t prepared, to spend my afternoon sobbing over a murder from 2015–an undeserved, unjust, awful death.
.
But the least, the very least, we can do is bear witness.
.
Here’s my review from Insta:
This book is a fucking STUNNER.
I expected the gorgeous photographs from Devin Allen.
I did not expect the heart wrenching poems from Tariq Touré.
I did not expect the compelling intro essays, including a torcher from Allen’s mom.
I didn’t expect, and maybe wasn’t prepared, to spend my afternoon sobbing over a murder from 2015–an undeserved, unjust, awful death.
.
But the least, the very least, we can do is bear witness.
January 26, 2023
You could simply flip through this book without thought and admire the good quality of these photos, but that would not do this book, the photographer, or the story justice. The stories and poems included are well-written, thought-provoking, and beautifully emotional. The images themselves are incredibly composed and simple yet complex. By no means is this a lighthearted book, it requires the reader to dig deep and recognize things inside themselves that they might prefer to leave alone. The organization of the photos into three sections elevates this story and creates a compelling narrative. I thank the photographer for illustrating this journey for us.
February 8, 2023
As someone who also is a photojournalist and has been heavily involved and imbedded in my local BLM protests the last few years, looking at Devin’s photos is breathtaking. Seriously some of the best images I’ve ever seen of one’s community and the uprising within it. I’ve always aspired to take absolutely iconic images like his, especially the cover image. It wasn’t until now, nearly two years removed from the return of the grand jury verdict that refused to indict the officers who murdered Daniel Prude, that I can see glimpses of my friends and community members in some of these photos via the similarities to one’s I took in fall and winter 2020/21 and their similar pain and outrage.
March 6, 2018
An eye-opener for people not from the city. The words are somewhat impactful as some of the photos. It's a good book for those interested in the Black Lives Moment and seeing a fallen city that is still beautiful. I do agree that ghettoes can feature some truly great people but that all I agree with basically. I found some of the photos to be really good and Allen opened my eyes to a different kind of photography and shows it is okay to document the world as we see it.
November 12, 2017
As expected, the beauty of this work is in the images, which have heart as well as compositional strength. The accompanying text, however, was a welcome surprise. The poetry of Tariq Touré and the various essays--the one by Keeanga Yamahtta Taylor is a standout--provided valuable context.
May 15, 2020
This photograph book showed every side of living when the riots broke out in Baltimore. The good, the bad, the ugly. I got chills flipping through the pages. It's the kind of book where you just sit on a page for a while and take in every detail that Devin has captured. Beautiful work.
January 31, 2018
Stark, stunning, and raw photographic history of the Baltimore Uprising in 2015 after the death of Freddie Gray and of everyday life in Baltimore City.
December 20, 2018
Not only is the photography striking the introductions are beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the introduction written by Devin's mom. Very moving.
February 17, 2019
He's a good shooter. Knows how to place himself. Understands exposure and framing images. Captures emotions, causes and effects. I look forward to more work from him!
October 29, 2019
Beautiful. Evocative. Important.
February 10, 2020
Love this book!! I keep it in my office on the shelf open. When clients or my colleagues come in they are greeted by brown faces.
December 8, 2020
Beautiful. Chilling. Stunning.
Having lived in Baltimore at the time of the riots, the photos gave me chills. He captures the beauty and poverty of this city so beautifully.
Having lived in Baltimore at the time of the riots, the photos gave me chills. He captures the beauty and poverty of this city so beautifully.
September 19, 2022
Beautiful
April 20, 2024
Tbh this would be a really cool museum display with the poems being read aloud or smth
May 22, 2018
Like a revolutionary love letter to Baltimore.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews