Aaron McGruder

Aaron McGruder is an American writer, producer, and cartoonist best known as the creator of the comic strip “The Boondocks.” Born in Chicago in 1974 and raised in Maryland, McGruder introduced the strip while studying at the University of Maryland. In 1999, it was picked up for national syndication, quickly gaining attention for its sharp satire and fearless take on race, politics and popular culture.

“The Boondocks” followed brothers Huey and Riley Freeman as they navigated suburban life, serving as a platform for McGruder’s incisive commentary on Black identity and American society. At its peak, the strip appeared in more than 300 newspapers, earning both critical praise and controversy for its unflinching style.

In 2005, McGruder adapted the work into the animated television series “The Boondocks,” which ran on Adult Swim and became a cultural phenomenon. The show, which won a Peabody Award in 2006, was hailed for pushing boundaries with its bold storytelling and biting humor. McGruder served as creator, executive producer and primary writer for much of the series, stepping away before its fourth season.

Outside of “The Boondocks,” McGruder co-wrote the 2012 film “Red Tails,” a dramatization of the Tuskegee Airmen’s story. Known for his provocative voice and willingness to challenge mainstream narratives, he remains a significant figure in American satire and cultural commentary.

In 2017, it was announced that McGruder, along with producer Will Packer, would develop a series for Amazon Video called "Black America," set in an alternative history wherein emancipated black Americans receive three Southern states as reparations for slavery and form an independent nation. The series' announcement was seen by some commentators as a response to HBO's then in-development alternative history series Confederate, whose plot entails a history wherein the Confederacy won the Civil War; that series was ultimately never developed, with its cancellation confirmed in January 2020. Packer denied the project was a response to Confederate and was already in development when that series was announced. As of 2025, Amazon has released no further updates regarding "Black America" and its current status is unknown.