About Had Happened
Had Happened is a weekly dispatch written in the thick of it. It’s a record of moments and murmurs that, hopefully, gesture toward something deeper. This is an archive, a ledger of what we’ve built, abandoned, and fought to preserve. These are notes on survival, on culture, on how we live—and the stuff that keeps us going. Expect stories that unspool slowly and reflections that reach past the obvious.
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Rules of the Road
Honesty - Call it like you see it, even if nobody wants to hear it. Especially if nobody wants to hear it.
Curiosity - Asking questions like, “What the hell is going on here?” and then sticking around long enough to find out.
Empathy - To feel what others feel, to let their lives inhabit your own, and to tell their stories as though they were your own.
Integrity - Trying to do the right thing, even when it’s the hard thing—because the easy way out doesn’t usually come with peace of mind.
About Donovan X. Ramsey
Donovan X. Ramsey is an everyday journalist and author whose work explores identity, ideas, power, history, and culture. Known for his sharp analysis and salient storytelling, Donovan has contributed to outlets including The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, and GQ. His writing blends rigorous reporting with heartfelt humanity, making complex topics accessible and resonant.
Donovan is the author of When Crack Was King: A People’s History of a Misunderstood Era, a groundbreaking book that reframes the legacy of the crack epidemic through the voices of those who lived it. Praised for its empathy and nuance, When Crack Was King was a finalist for multiple awards and has been adapted into an upcoming documentary.
A graduate of Morehouse College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, Donovan's work is rooted in his belief that journalism is a tool for understanding the past, interrogating the present, and imagining a better future. Whether moderating panels, teaching aspiring journalists, or penning his next feature, Donovan is driven by a commitment to authenticity, curiosity, and truth.
When he’s not writing, Donovan is likely exploring the cultural landscape for his weekly newsletter, Had Happened, a vivid record of who we are and the world we’re building.
