Cannabis The Illegalization of Weed in America

Box Brown is in known for his riveting comic biographies of pop culture icons. In his latest nonfiction graphic novel, he sets his sights on a timely topic: the racist legacy of cannabis legislation in America. But to get the whole story, you have start at the beginning-and we mean the very beginning. In 2000 BCE India, cannabis farmers believe that the plant was created by a celestial tug of war between gods and demons. Fast forward to 1518 CE Mexico, where Cortés introduces hemp farming during his violent colonial campaign. Over the centuries, locals secretly cultivate the plant for consumption. It eventually makes it way to the United States through the immigrant labor force, where it's shared with black laborers.It doesn't take American lawmakers long to decry cannabis as the vice of "inferior races." From the 19th century to the 21st, cannabis legislation in America and racism have been tenaciously linked. New York Times -bestselling author Box Brown delves deep into this complex history and offers a rich, entertaining, and throughly researched graphic essay.