on this day 40 years ago, three men were placed in solitary confinement at angola prison in angola, louisiana. two remain, herman wallace and albert woodfox. the third, robert hillary king was released in 2001 after his conviction was overturned. the three men were convicted of murdering a prison guard based upon shoddy evidence and amidst racial tensions. angola has been called one of the bloodiest prisons in the south, and in the 1970s inmates were forced to suffer racial segregation and constant degradation by prison staff and officials. tired of the abuse, the angola 3 joined together to form a prison chapter of the black panther party. during a time period of radical resistance in this country, the men were undoubtedly targeted for their political activities, and convicted of a murder that they continue to proclaim they did not commit.
locking human beings in 6×9 ft cells for 23 hours per day for 40 years is nothing short of torture. if this was happening in any other country, especially one that is underdeveloped, americans would be appalled. instead we turn a blind eye.
angola prison is a former plantation, and prisoners there are stuck in a time warp. incarcerated men work the plantation’s prison’s fields, and overseers prison guards observe the free labor while mounted on horses.
Great post! There is actually a great documentary that I saw on this prison called “Angola:Life on the Farm”. It follows some of the inmates who are on death row there.