Avon Barksdale

Avon Randolph Barksdale is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire portrayed by actor Wood Harris. Avon is the top drug dealer of Baltimore's west side, running the Barksdale Organization. He runs the West Baltimore drug trade with total autonomy. Avon was counseled in his drug business by attorney Maurice Levy and assisted by his old friend and second-in-command Stringer Bell and sister Brianna Barksdale. Below Bell was a vast organizati... more

Avon Randolph Barksdale is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire portrayed by actor Wood Harris. Avon is the top drug dealer of Baltimore's west side, running the Barksdale Organization. He runs the West Baltimore drug trade with total autonomy. Avon was counseled in his drug business by attorney Maurice Levy and assisted by his old friend and second-in-command Stringer Bell and sister Brianna Barksdale. Below Bell was a vast organization of drug dealers and enforcers, including Avon's nephew, Brianna's son D'Angelo. He is interested only in controlling the drug distribution in Baltimore, accepting nothing less than absolute power, believing that control of territory is the key to this objective. He can be described as hot-tempered and very concerned with his image on the street, quick to send violent warnings to other crews. Still, he is shrewd and intuitive, though not as cerebral as Stringer. At the beginning of the series, Avon has control of the entire West Baltimore... less