Barksdale Organization

Lore & Background

Avon Barksdale's power in west Baltimore was established some time before the events of season 1. The Barksdale Organization started a turf war for the city's largest public housing project. When they won the war and got the prized Franklin Terrace towers, they had the best drug territory in the city and dominated the illicit heroin trade in west Baltimore. The show starts sometime after these events. Avon ran the organization as a hierarchy with himself at the top and Stringer directly below him. Stringer oversees the drug operation and advises Avon on all matters. They were both isolated from the drugs, handling only money. Avon had a number of enforcers (soldiers) who served him through protection, contract killings, and intimidation work, including childhood friend Wee-Bey Brice. Avon himself kept an extremely low profile, eschewing overt displays of wealth so as not to attract attention, avoiding being photographed, not having a driver's license, and owning nothing in his own name. The Barksdales retained attorney Maurice Levy, who advised them on how to counter police investigations and represented members of the Barksdale organization at hearings and trials.

In Their Own Story

At the beginning of the series, Avon is the top player in the West Baltimore drug trade. His territory includes the prized Franklin Terrace Towers, a massive public housing project consisting of six high rise apartment buildings. These towers provided the best territory in the city to sell drugs. The Barksdales have a crew at each tower that sells heroin and cocaine 24 hours a day. The Barksdales also control other smaller territories, including a nearby low-rise housing project referred to as 'the Pit'. The organization laundered its profits through various fronts, including a funeral parlor, Orlando's, and a property developing company named B&B. It also invested in property, never actually using either Avon or Stringer's names on official papers. It also made campaign contributions and later bribes for assistance with development contracts.

Reader's Guide

The Baltimore Police Department as a whole is portrayed as underfunded and apathetic. While the Major Crime Unit is able to arrest a number of people in the Barksdale Organization, including Avon, they lack the resources to build a strong enough case to permanently cripple the organization. All those arrested plead out and get light sentences (with the exception of Wee-Bey and D'Angelo). Avon's best friend and second-in-command Stringer Bell runs the organization until Avon is released from prison in season 3. Ultimately, a second prolonged investigation by the Major Crimes Unit, the organization's bloody wars against both stickup man Omar Little, as well as the emerging Stanfield Organization, and internal dissent within the group's upper leadership led to the Barksdale Organization's collapse in the fall of 2004. With most of the Barksdale Organization in prison or dead, the Stanfield Organization becomes the dominant drug trafficking group in West Baltimore.

Did You Know?

• Avon Barksdale avoided being photographed, did not have a driver's license, and owned nothing in his own name to keep a low profile.
• The Barksdale Organization's prized territory was Franklin Terrace, a public housing project consisting of high-rise towers.
• Stringer Bell attended community college to better understand business and economics and to apply them to the drug trade.
• The organization laundered money through fronts including a club called Orlando's and a property developing company named B&B Enterprises, which also served as a legitimate business front.
• In season three, Stringer Bell was killed by Omar Little and Brother Mouzone in his own commercial building that was in development at the time.

Organizational Structure and Operational Strategy

Avon ran the organization as a hierarchy with himself at the top and Stringer directly below him. Stringer oversees the drug operation and advises Avon on all matters. They were both isolated from the drugs, handling only money. Avon had a number of enforcers (soldiers) who served him through protection, contract killings, and intimidation work, including childhood friend Wee-Bey Brice. Avon himself kept an extremely low profile, eschewing overt displays of wealth so as not to attract attention, avoiding being photographed, not having a driver's license, and owning nothing in his own name. The Barksdales retained attorney Maurice Levy, who advised them on how to counter police investigations and represented members of the Barksdale organization at hearings and trials.

Territorial Dominance and Economic Activities

At the beginning of the series, Avon is the top player in the West Baltimore drug trade. His territory includes the prized Franklin Terrace Towers, a massive public housing project consisting of six high rise apartment buildings. These towers provided the best territory in the city to sell drugs. The Barksdales have a crew at each tower that sells heroin and cocaine 24 hours a day. The Barksdales also control other smaller territories, including a nearby low-rise housing project referred to as 'the Pit'. The organization laundered its profits through various fronts, including a funeral parlor, Orlando's, and a property developing company named B&B. It also invested in property, never actually using either Avon or Stringer's names on official papers. It also made campaign contributions and later bribes for assistance with development contracts.

Law Enforcement Challenges and Institutional Failure

The Baltimore Police Department as a whole is portrayed as underfunded and apathetic. While the Major Crime Unit is able to arrest a number of people in the Barksdale Organization, including Avon, they lack the resources to build a strong enough case to permanently cripple the organization. All those arrested plead out and get light sentences (with the exception of Wee-Bey and D'Angelo). Avon's best friend and second-in-command Stringer Bell runs the organization until Avon is released from prison in season 3.

Internal Dissent and Ultimate Collapse

Ultimately, a second prolonged investigation by the Major Crimes Unit, the organization's bloody wars against both stickup man Omar Little, as well as the emerging Stanfield Organization, and internal dissent within the group's upper leadership led to the Barksdale Organization's collapse in the fall of 2004. With most of the Barksdale Organization in prison or dead, the Stanfield Organization becomes the dominant drug trafficking group in West Baltimore.