Young Black men in cities across America died of drug overdoses at high rates in the 1980s and 1990s. During the recent fentanyl crisisph365, older Black men in many cities have been dying at unusually high rates.

They’re all from the same generation.

An investigation of millions of death records — in a partnership between The New York Times, The Baltimore Banner, Big Local News and nine other newsrooms across the country — reveals the extent to which drug overdose deaths have affected one group of Black men in dozens of cities across America at nearly every stage of their adult lives.

Covid deaths among U.S. men

Source: Times/Banner analysis of N.C.H.S. mortality data

Some causes of death strike people of many ages all at once — like the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some causes of death strike people of many ages all at once — like the Covid-19 pandemic.

Others strike at a certain age: Prostate cancer almost always kills men later in their lives.

Others strike at a certain age: Prostate cancer almost always kills men later in their lives.

Gun homicides are more concentrated among younger men.

Gun homicides are more concentrated among younger men.

Among national universities, Princeton was ranked No. 1 again, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard. Stanford, which tied for third last year, fell to No. 4. U.S. News again judged Williams College the best among national liberal arts colleges. Spelman College was declared the country’s top historically Black institution.

Calls for school crackdowns have mounted with reports of cyberbullying among adolescents and studies indicating that smartphones, which offer round-the-clock distraction and social media access, have hindered academic instruction and the mental health of children.

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But, across many American cities, drug deaths in Black men have followed a different pattern.

But, across many American cities, drug deaths in Black men have followed a different pattern.

In Chicago, for example, higher overdose death rates have followed a generation of Black men as they age.

In Chicago, for example, higher overdose death rates have followed a generation of Black men as they age.

Death rates in this group are higher now than ever, as the drug supply has gotten even more dangerous.

Death rates in this group are higher now than ever, as the drug supply has gotten even more dangerous.

There’s no similar pattern among white men.

There’s no similar pattern among white men.

In recent years, the opioid epidemic has brought dangerous drugs to every corner of the country, and overdoses have risen among younger, whiter and more rural populations.

That huge tide now appears to be ebbing — but not for this group of Black men. In the 10 cities examined in this partnership, including Baltimore, Chicago, San Francisco, Newark, Washington, Milwaukee and Philadelphia, Black men ages 54 to 73 have been dying from overdoses at more than four times the rate of men of other races.

“They were resilient enough to live through a bunch of other epidemics — H.I.V., crack, Covid, multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis — only to be killed by fentanyl,” said Tracie M. Gardner, the executive director of the National Black Harm Reduction Network and a former New York State health official.

Drug death rates for Black men in … Baltimore Deaths per 100k 500 1,000 Newark Deaths per 100k 200 400 600 Washington Deaths per 100k 500 1,000

Source: Times/Banner analysis of N.C.H.S. mortality data

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