A wonderful and honest memoir told with great courage, humility and a sense of humour (escaping from jail in a cement mixer!).
As a language purist, I was bothered, however, by the frequent use of the word inmate “trustee” to describe an inmate who is trustworthy and gets extra privileges, where the word should have been “trusty.”
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Solitary confinement for more than a couple of days is cruel and unusual. It is unconstitutional. Why hasn't there been a case before the Supreme Court?
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To emerge from an inhumane torture with a sense of compassion and empathy should be a lesson to us all.
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Goodness I could never read this book. Not because it would be unbelievable but because it would be unbearable. God bless him. I’m not sure how he lived through this. Treatment like this would drive the average person absolutely mad. How did we as a nation allow our criminal justice system to get this horrible? We should all be asking ourselves what we can do now to turn the tide against mass incarceration of people of color. Are we really this bad? Yes we are.
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How is solitary confinement NOT cruel and unusual punishment?
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Why do I think he was guilty of the murder? Who says their was no evidence against him....he does....Anyone remember Jack Abbot....he was a convict hero for a moment.
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of course he was innocent in the death of the guard...and I'm sure he knows nothing, nothing
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America can be a very scary place . Not for white entitled people, but for 10's of millions of others .
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"Shapes of spirit" can alter. Persons can be reformed. If authorities insist on punishing human beings who are not the persons they were, it is they who should be subject to justice. You can't punish a former "mind-set". You shouldn't stoop to try.
Louisiana is lucky it is one of the "United States" for it would likely face international censure and economic sanctions for its conduct if it were not so. Americans should care that all their nation's states reflect its values reasonably faithfully. It should cease to shield gross injustice.
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Four decades in solitary confinement? Yeah, there's a word for that: torture
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A few decades ago, I met a fellow at a mainline MA church who said he'd retired from the public integrity section of the FBI.
He seemed knowledgeable and sincere. I felt relieved to hear there was a section in the FBI whose purpose was to ensure that public officials fulfill the fundamental responsibilities of their positions. That means that Flint Michigan would never happen and prisons would never be overwhelmed. And we could be assured we would always have honorable leaders.
In the early days of the USA, ministers were charged with the duty of knowing the names and circumstances of everyone in their community. They worked together -- called to use their influence to maximize constructive cooperation and minimize conflict.
It was essential to stay informed to ensure that wise guidance prevailed in the communities (not just the church) and that justice was served in courts. Ministers were the guardians of community.
Forty years ago, a prominent economist preached a doctrine of social irresponsibility -- that Corporations had no social responsibility -- that their only responsibility is to shareholders. That began a notorious era of greed in government which causes inflation. Inflation doesn't produce wealth; only a temporary illusion as wealth transfers from those on limited or fixed income. When it affects teachers and doctors, small businesses, and community then education, health, and cooperation suffer. The nation trembles and we become Hollow Men.
Others suffer.
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I will buy Mr. Woodfox's memoir to read and learn from. This man is a survivor, and his imprisonment for decades is sickening and reflects horribly on this country. The way he was treated was horrific; this country has a very long way to go where racism is concerned, as we see from our current administration. Bless this man and I hope he lives for decades in good health and is able to enjoy life the way as he should have been for decades. My heart goes out to the other 2 men in the "Angola 3." Bless Mr. Woodfox for overcoming hate and allowing love to overtake his life.
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I live in Switzerland where the longest prison sentence runs around 22 years.
Last month I visited Angola where the prison guards boasted "In Angola life means life".
The US justice system is one of the most unforgiving in the free world.
Shame on you.
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@Peter S. Only and especially for the poor and disadvantaged. The rich can get away with practically anything. Meanwhile, certain types of crimes (eg rape) are barely punished.
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Meanwhile, those that perverted justice and put them in solitary confinement go unpunished.
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If Mr. Woodfox didn't murder the prison guard, who did?
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@imamn
Are you suggesting that if nobody else could be determined to have committed the crime then maybe this man shouldn't have been freed?
This is the story of a guy who DID NOT commit the crime. Just because there is a crime doesn't mean you will find the perpetrator or bring them to justice, which is injustice for sure. But putting an innocent man behind bars for the crime is merely an additional injustice that serves nobody's interest.
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@imamn
Good question. I doubt we'll ever find out now.
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@imamn someone else who is not Mr. Woodfox
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I would also recommend "The Sun Does Shine" by Anthony Ray Hinton, published in 2018. About a black man was on death row for 30 years, solitary confinement, for a murder he did not commit . A very sad but must read. He was vindicated after spending 30 years in prison. At the end of the book, he lists every man who is now on death row. I recommend it highly. We are beasts when it comes to how we treat men in prison. Jared Kushner wants prison reform cause "daddy" spent some time in prison.
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I wonder did he know (or hear about) Ruchell Magee while he was in Angola?
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Anyone know what a White person would get for armed robbery in Louisiana in 1969?
My guess is not quite 50 years.
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@Moehoward Would you rather face the criminal justice system in Louisiana, or any other state, as a white person or any minority?
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“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.”
Next stop: Gulagtanamo.
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Is this our country? Is this who we want to be? I will read this book and I hope that communities across the country put it on their list of "community reads" programs where an entire community read a certain book. I wish this man peace in the rest of his life and I say, "I'm sorry" that I, as a fellow citizen, let you down.
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Another powerful indictment of humans governing other humans by force, violence and coercion. Politicians and most lawyers refer to it as "the rule of law," with all the reverence of the chief priests of the Jerusalem Temple for a Nazarene claiming to be the Son of God. (Luke 20 through 23). Clearly, we put the wrong people in solitary confinement. Such a vicious punishment should be reserved for its inventors and employers.
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@Ned Netterville Too many of our politicians have confused "rule of law" with "law and order" - which have hugely different realities and connotations. Nixon liked "law and order" yet he broke the law more than once. Rule of law is a different thing, and it begs us to reclaim our judicial system from the racist punishment that it has become. There are some prosecutors who have taken this task on, but if you spend any time in a courthouse, you'll see most in the system are stuck in the "law & order" mindset, which only creates more horror stories like this one.
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