Deacon King Kong is set in the fall of 1969 in the Brooklyn district. The novel's protagonist is Cuffy Lambkin, a Black man nicknamed Sportcoat. Sportcoat lives in a housing project named Cause Houses. Sportcoat was a baseball coach a few years ago but has become an alcoholic in his old age. One day, Sportcoat comes across Deems Clemens, a notorious drug dealer in the neighborhood. Sportcoat takes out his gun and shoots Deems. Fortunately, Deems survives the shooting, but he sustains serious injuries. The residents of the Cause Houses are baffled by the shooting incident because Sportcoat mentored Deems in his childhood.
The story shifts from the shooting incident to Sportcoat's personal life. Two years ago, Sportcoat's wife, Hettie, died. Before her death, Hettie was a member of the Five Baptist Church. In a flashback, readers learn Hettie drowned when she attempted to cross the harbor.
The author introduces another character called Elefante, dubbed "The Elephant". The Elephant is a notorious drug dealer who inherited his father's smuggling Business Empire. To hide his drug dealings, the Elephant has other businesses, which include construction, transport, and storage. Elefante falls in love with Melisa and agrees to help the Irishman recover a valuable artifact in his father's house.
Meanwhile, Deems and his fellow drug dealers have been plotting revenge against Sportcoat for shooting him. Sportcoat realizes that the neighborhood has heightened tension because people fear for their safety. Drug addiction and crime have taken over the place. Most youths causing mayhem in the area are using hard drugs such as heroin and marijuana. Deems' efforts to retaliate against Sportcoat escalate tension and violence in the neighborhood.
When Elefante finds the artifact his father hid in the Five Baptist Church, peace is restored in the neighborhood. The artifact symbolizes renewed relationships between Sportcoat, Elefante, and the residents in the neighborhood. Drug dealers confess their wrongs and are accepted in society after they promise to abandon their illegal businesses. Consequently, Deacon King Kong by James McBride explores the cultural conflicts in Brooklyn and its environs in the late 20th century. Society suffers from drug addiction, violence, and crime. However, people realize that their unity is more important than anything else.
