Wilbert L. Cooper

Wilbert L. Cooper is a journalist, documentary filmmaker, and author whose work examines race, power, and American institutions. Cooper studied journalism at Ohio University and earned a master's degree in publishing at New York University. He served as a senior editor at Vice, where he developed a reputation for immersive storytelling across digital, print, and broadcast platforms. Influenced by writers such as Hunter S. Thompson and the New Journalism movement, Cooper has explored a range of topics through investigative reporting and documentary filmmaking.

Cooper has hosted documentary films, travel shows, and live programs for Vice TV and HBO, and has contributed long-form features, essays, and news articles to publications including The Guardian, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Vice. His documentary "The Cleveland Strangler," published by Vice, investigated police failures in stopping a serial killer who targeted Black women. The film was nominated for a National Magazine Award. As host of "Noisey Raps," Cooper conducted interviews with prominent hip-hop artists while covering major tours.

Cooper is a journalist for The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization focused on criminal justice. His reporting centers on race and policing, with a focus on deeply reported investigations. The Marshall Project published his feature "Out of the Blue: The Rise and Fall of a Black Cop," which profiled a Black police officer whose career trajectory was shaped by a controversial shooting and subsequent advocacy for police reform.

Cooper wrote "The Black Shield," a book that explores the history and reality of Black people in law enforcement, combining historical research, investigative reporting, and personal narrative. The book examines the duality faced by Black officers and the broader implications for policing and systemic reform. Cooper received the Richard J. Margolis Award for his work on this subject.

His work has been recognized by Complex Magazine and Rolling Out Magazine. Cooper's journalism and documentary projects contribute to ongoing discussions about race, policing, and American society, reflecting a commitment to in-depth reporting and analysis across multiple media platforms.