Marcus is one of Barack’s best friends in college, whom Barack describes as “the most conscious of brothers.” He’s tall, elegant, and comfortable with his identity as a Black person. All of this makes Barack feel one step behind. Marcus is, in Barack’s opinion, undeniably Black—he has friends in prison, family members who were part of the Black Panthers, and others who are single mothers. Barack admires Marcus and wants to impress him, but his efforts tend to fall flat. Eventually, Marcus becomes disillusioned with college and drops out.