Early twentieth century Brooklyn was always portrayed as an exclusive bastion of white ethnics – Irish, the Italians and Jews. However, Ron Howell reveals the important political role played by Caribbean immigrants the early 1900s. Most important was Bertram Baker, an immigrant from the then British island of Nevis who joined with other West Indians, and American Blacks of the “Great Migration.” In 1948 he became the first Black elected to political office in Brooklyn. In Baker’s era, as described by Howell, Blacks began demanding their fair share of the patronage pie such as civil service jobs. But Boss of Black Brooklyn is not the usual academic treatise on Brooklyn politics. It is a story about an extraordinary man. He had weaknesses as well as high ambitions and Howell tells the story of both his wins and losses. Sprinkled with tears, It is a unique story of an American dream. Bertram Baker was Howell's his maternal grandfather, so he adds a memoir to this biography. I have written extensively about Brooklyn’s neighborhoods, once teamed up with Howell on a panel at a conference he organized called “Bed-Stuy in Crisis.” We examined how Black Brooklyn is negatively impacted by gentrification. Hundreds attended and justly expressed their anger and fear. The danger to the vital community was the booming real estate market that is forcing people of color to abandon Brooklyn by the thousands each year. The evening's consensus was that needed today is a political boss who would demand what Brooklyn Blacks deserve – decent jobs and affordable places to live. Perhaps Bertram Baker, long deceased, would say, Things have changed – and they haven’t changed.