Albert Woodfox and Robert King of the Angola 3 to speak at Harvard on March 8

 Watch the full length video of Albert and Robert's talk at Harvard here.



RELATED:  Jean Troustine writes "What I Learned From Albert Woodfox and Robert King" (about Harvard event)

At 5:30 pm on Wednesday, March 8, the Angola 3's Robert King and Albert Woodfox will be speaking together at Harvard University it Cambridge, MA. Please check back here and at the Facebook event page for more information.

The Harvard Crimson has released a new article in advance of next month's event, entitled "Buried Alive: Solitary Confinement in a Louisiana Prison."  Featured below is an excerpt. Read the full article here.

Albert Woodfox and Robert King are coming to Harvard on March 8th. They have dedicated their post-incarceration lives to fighting for “the abolishment of solitary confinement and freedom for political prisoners.” “I choose to use my anger as a means for changing things,” Woodfox said after his release.

“Everybody has fear,” Woodfox continued. “Fear is the soul telling the body that it’s in danger. Some people overcome that fear. I overcame it by having a cause.”

We hope you will join us.

A3 Newsletter: Reflections on Freedom (includes new Albert Woodfox video interview: A Voice for the Voiceless)

(PHOTO: Albert Woodfox and Robert King at an event hosted by The Guardian in London, England during the recent European Tour.)

A3 Newsletter, January 30, 2017: Reflections on Freedom

It's been a few months since we've sent out a newsletter - taking a bit of a break in December after the wild and wonderful year that unfolded after Albert's release in February, almost one year ago! 

2016 was a busy year and 2017 looks like it will be eventful as Albert and Robert actively continue campaigning for the human rights of all prisoners. During the successful European tour last October, they visited some of the cities that had supported the campaign over the last decade. They met supporters, NGO activists and spoke throughout England, from London to Liverpool and then in Paris, France. Featured below is a round up of the tour.

In December, Robert took a trip to Washington D.C. to join in the effort to bring attention to Leonard Peltier's request for clemency, joining artist and Angola 3 supporter Rigo 23 at the installation of his 9-foot-tall statue of Leonard at American University. Sadly, not only was Leonard not granted clemency, but the FBI demanded that the sculpture be removed from the museum grounds, and astoundingly, the museum complied without any apparent concern for freedom of expression. A legal suit is being filed against this action. As to Leonard, this would be a good time to reach out to him and let him know that the struggle continues and that he has many supporters out here that will continue fighting on his behalf.

There was good international media coverage in the UK and France resulting from the European tour and in the US, the New Yorker released their extended piece on Albert, written by Rachel Aviv.

Both Albert and King remain committed to speaking out in support of political prisoners, against the use of solitary and the criminal injustice system in the USA. Next month King will travel to San Francisco to attend a symposium at The Exploratorium on February 16, entitled In My Solitude: The Detrimental Effects of Solitary Confinement on the Brain and to speak on a panel the very next day at an event jointly hosted by UCSF Medical School and UC Hastings Law School, entitled Solitary: On Law and Policy in California. King will then be returning to Austin, Texas for a screening of the film "Cruel and Unusual" and book-signing on February 23.

March is a busy month with trips to Toronto and Montreal in Canada and a speaking engagement at Harvard. Stay tuned for more information about those events.

2016 European Tour 

Angola 3's UK and French supporters were excited to welcome Robert with Albert for the first time. Albert got the opportunity to meet many of the UK and French supporters who have been campaigning on his and Herman's case. The visit took place during the USA presidential election and there was much discussion about how little has changed with the issues of race and injustice, which are as urgent today as they were in the 1970's when Woodfox and King were campaigning from behind prison walls.

The visit started in London with Albert and Robert launching Amnesty UK's Write for Rights Campaign, followed by sold out events at John Moores University in Liverpool, Manchester Metropolitan University, Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge and an event with The Guardian newspaper. In Paris, Amnesty France hosted one of their largest attended events ever with over 800 people coming to hear Albert and Robert. This remarkable evening was made all the more poignant with a beautiful performance by Louisiana based supporter and artist Sarah Quintana who sang a song she wrote for and dedicated to Herman, entitled "Almost Free."

Albert and Robert thank everyone who made this visit possible and welcomed them with such warmth.

A Voice for the Voiceless: Watch the New Segment of Our Interview With Albert Woodfox


In this newly released excerpt from the A3 Coalition's interview with Albert in May 2016, Albert explains:

"Since we've been released, King and I have had many long nights of discussion asking 'How can we remain relevant to the struggle in this country and in the world?'

Watch the full video here.

UK Guardian interviews Albert Woodfox on eve of UK Tour: ‘I choose to use my anger as a means for changing things’

RELATED:  Albert Woodfox and Robert King's European Tour in November  II  View photos and updates from the Euro Tour at our Facebook page

(PHOTO:  Albert and Robert in conversation with Samantha Roddick at the Amnesty UK event on November 1)

OTHER MEDIA COVERAGE:  Albert Woodfox and Robert King interviewed by Democracy Now! about Black Panther political prisoners  II  Albert interviewed by ITV  II  Albert interviewed by BBC News Hour 

(PHOTO: Albert Woodfox and Robert King on Democracy Now, Oct, 26, 2016)

A new UK Guardian article written by Rowan Moore features an interview with Albert Woodfox, where he reflects upon life after release, among other things. An excerpt is featured below, but you can read the full article here.

It was, he says, “so disappointing when I got out to find that conditions when I left 45 years ago are still here. With the first black president, everyone thought we had reached a milestone, but it just looked different.” If, he continues “America has nothing else to thank Donald Trump for, it is to show that racism is very much alive. He didn’t come out of nowhere. I thought the battle would be economic, not sick-assed philosophy about racism 45 years later.”

And so he is travelling and speaking, jetting from one American city to another to speak of his experiences and to fight, along with Robert King, for “the abolishment of solitary confinement and freedom for political prisoners” – and political prisoners is what he believes many of those incarcerated in America to be – “who remain victims of the criminal injustice system in the USA.” Apart from his fugitive trip to New York, he had never been out of Louisiana until this year, but now he travels from coast to coast and north to south, and is coming to Britain next month for a multi-city tour. All this from a man who came out of jail with hepatitis C, diabetes, renal failure and hypertension. His health has improved dramatically in the months of his freedom, partly due to receiving treatments denied him inside.

Albert Woodfox & Robert King's European Freedom Tour in November

Announcing Albert Woodfox & Robert King's European Freedom Tour Events - November 2016

The International Angola 3 Coalition is delighted to announce the first European visit from Albert Woodfox in November 2016.  Albert Woodfox (the last remaining member of the Angola 3 to be freed from prison in Louisiana, USA in February this year after 43 years in solitary confinement) and Robert King (released 15 years ago after 29 years in solitary falsely accused of the same crime) will visit the UK and France to meet supporters and to continue their campaign to call for the abolition of solitary confinement and freedom for political prisoners who remain victims of the criminal (in)justice system in the USA.

The visit will take place during the USA presidential election and comes at a time when questions of race and injustice in the USA are as relevant today as they were in the 1970’s when Woodfox and King were members of the Black Panther Party whilst in prison campaigning for human and civil rights. 

The visit will start in London with Albert and Robert launching Amnesty UK’s Write for Rights Campaign on Tuesday 1 November followed by the below UK public events:

Albert Woodfox and Robert King in New York City, August 4-8; Albert to Receive NLG's Arthur Kinoy Award

This weekend, Albert Woodfox and Robert King will be at the Law For The People Convention in New York City, organized by the National Lawyers Guild.

On the evening of Thursday, August 4, Albert will be honored by the National Lawyers Guild with the Arthur Kinoy award. The evening begins with a reception at 6pm. At 7pm the convention's keynote address will be given, to be followed by the award ceremony.

On Sunday, August 7, Albert and King will be speaking at the National Lawyers Guild conference's Solitary Confinement: How to Build a Movement to End the Torture of Solitary Confinement workshop from 1-2:30 pm.

Then on Monday, August 8, Albert and King will appear at a book signing, from 6-9 PM at the Martin Luther King Jr. Labor Center, 310 West 43rd Street, in NYC.

London, April 21: Amnesty UK Preview Screening of 'Cruel and Unusual' by Vadim Jean

(Event info from Amnesty UK)

When:  Thursday, 21 April 2016 from 18:30 to 21:30 (BST)
Where:  Amnesty International UK - 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA, United Kingdom

Amnesty International UK is delighted to announce a special UK preview screening of ‘Cruel and Unusual’, a new documentary feature film telling the story of the Angola 3's struggle for justice, fighting their unjust convictions and the cruel and unusual punishment of long term solitary confinement in Louisiana prisons. 

Albert Woodfox and Robert H King interviewed by CNN's Christine Amanpour

RELATED:  Treating Humans Like Humans  II  Toward an Intellectual History of the Angola 3  II  The Big Issue  II  Swedish Radio interview with Albert

On March 2, Albert Woodfox and Robert King of the Angola 3, were interviewed by CNN.

Watch the video interview here, or embedded above.

Panthers in the Hole: French Angola 3 Book Illustrates US Prison Crisis --An interview with Nicolas Krameyer of Amnesty International France

(You can buy Panthers in the Hole, the new graphic novel about the Angola 3 here.)

Panthers in the Hole: French Angola 3 Book Illustrates US Prison Crisis

--An interview with Nicolas Krameyer of Amnesty International France

By Angola 3 News

Amnesty International France and La Boîte à Bulles have published a 128-page French language graphic novel entitled Panthers in the Hole. The book's co-authors David Cénou and Bruno Cénou present with visual art what Amnesty France describes as "la tragique histoire des Trois d'Angola" (the tragic story of the Angola 3).

A3 Newsletter: Beyond Imagining - 42 Years in Solitary (April 17, 2014)

RELATED:  Albert Woodfox Speaks to the Experts II  Amnesty International Blog -- 42 Years of Injustice: When Will Louisiana Wake Up? 

(PHOTOS: A billboard campaign to mark the 42-year commemoration launched in New Orleans today.)

As we mark the 42nd year since the tragic and as yet, unsolved murder of Angola correctional officer Brent Miller, and the 42nd year since Albert Woodfox was first put in solitary for a crime he didn't commit, we are confident that it will be the last.  We remain hopeful that the 5th Circuit will finally side with justice and affirm Judge Brady's second decision to throw out Albert's conviction once and for all.  Although he will then have to petition for bail and potentially face a retrial, freedom will not be far behind.  With the civil case only months from trial, thousands of others who languish in long-term solitary could soon have the necessary legal precedent to challenge their conditions as constitutionally cruel and unusual.

Solitary Confinement Exhibition Plants Seed for Advocacy Among SULC Student Body

Solitary Confinement Exhibition Plants Seed for Advocacy Among SULC Student Body

Written for Angola 3 News by Arisa A. Banks
 
(3L Class Representative; Symposium Editor, Journal of Race, Gender, & Poverty)

The seed for advocacy was planted among the student body stirred by the Solitary Confinement Exhibition, during 2014 Law Week activities at the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Razor Wire, Prison Cells, and Black Panther Robert H. King’s Life of Resistance --An interview with filmmaker Ron Harpelle

Hard Time (2014) from Shebafilms Kelly Saxberg on Vimeo.


In Security from Shebafilms Kelly Saxberg on Vimeo.

Razor Wire, Prison Cells, and Black Panther Robert H. King’s Life of Resistance
--An interview with filmmaker Ron Harpelle

By Angola 3 News

A new 40-minute documentary film by Canadian History Professor Ron Harpelle, entitled Hard Time, focuses on the life of Robert Hillary King, who spent 29 years in continuous solitary confinement until his conviction was overturned and he was released from Louisiana's infamous Angola State Prison in 2001.

A3 Newsletter: Teenie Believes Me

RELATED:  Two lessons the USA must learn from Glenn Ford, by Tessa Murphy of Amnesty International  II  CCR: Speak Out Against Discriminatory Federal Prison Units


Angola 3 Newsletter, March 4, 2014: "This Needs to Stop..."

(PHOTO: Teenie Rogers in Amnesty Intl. video)

Today, Amnesty International released a new interview with Teenie Rogers, the widow of correctional officer Brent Miller, the man who Albert and Herman were wrongfully convicted of murdering.  Much like her first public statements six years ago, she continues to believe the State got it wrong; that Herman and Albert are innocent; and that an injustice has been done to her, Brent, Robert, Herman, and Albert.

"This needs to stop, for me and my family to get closure," she says. She expresses sadness that she tried but was unable to see Herman before he passed and explains: "I am speaking out now because I don't want another innocent man to die in prison."

Robert concurs: "Teenie believes me. She believes that the Angola 3 had nothing to do with her husband's murder. She believes that Albert Woodfox, Herman Wallace and I suffered years of cruel solitary confinement as innocent men. ... [T]he state hasn't done justice by her, either. She's angry. We both are. Louisiana authorities are hell bent on blaming the wrong person. Well, I'm hell bent on setting him free.

Stand with Robert, Teenie, and Amnesty and call on Louisiana officials to immediately release Albert Woodfox!

A3 Newsletter: One Year Later: Albert Woodfox is still not convicted or released

One year ago today, supporters of Albert Woodfox were elated when Judge Brady's ruling on Albert's criminal case was announced.  It was a THIRD overturning of his conviction!

How can it be possible that an innocent man, who now stands unconvicted in the eyes of the law, remains locked in a solitary cage while he waits for the State's endless appeal efforts to play out?  How many more appeals, how many courts will it take for the State to finally recognize that they've done enough to this man? 

Robert King in Canada for Hard Time screenings: Photos and Media Coverage

ROBERT KING IN THE NEWS:  Tout Le Monde En Parle  II  Interview by Canadian Prison Radio Show  II  Morning News Montreal Televison Interview  II  La Presse: En croisade contre le milieu carcéral américain  II  Montreal Gazette Interview  II  Le Devoir: 29 ans d’isolement en prison  II  BBC News: Scientists call solitary confinement 'damaging and unnecessary'  II  Japan Times / AFP: In prisons, solitary takes toll on minds  II  VIDEO: Science Magazine Live Chat w/ Robert King; Is Solitary Confinement Torture?  II  CNN: 29 Years in a Box  

(PHOTO: Robert King w/ filmmaker Ron Harpelle at the Toronto Black Film Festival. View more photos below.)

(PHOTO: Robert King and Ron Harpelle w/ Kathleen Cleaver at the Montreal Black Film Festival.)

As announced in our last newsletter, the Angola 3's Robert King has been traveling in the US, speaking in Chicago about solitary confinement at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and in Canada alongside screenings of the film Hard Time.

Letter to US DOJ by Reps. Richmond, Conyers, Nadler, and Scott Calls for Investigation into Louisiana Prisons; Cites Angola 3

RELATED:  Times Picayune article II  Solitary Watch article
 
Below is the full text of the letter to the US Department of Justice and the accompanying press release issued today (view a PDF of the original letter).

For Immediate Release
Date: Friday, July 12, 2013 Contact: Andrew Schreiber (Conyers) – 202-225-6906
John Doty (Nadler) – 202-225-5635 David Dailey (Scott) – 202-225-8351
Monique Waters (Richmond) – 202-225-6636
           
Reps. Richmond, Conyers, Nadler, and Scott Lead Letter Calling for Investigation into Several Louisiana Prison Facilities

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the full U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, and Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-La.) sent a letter to the Department of Justice’s Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas Perez calling for investigations into the alarming conditions in several Louisiana state prison facilities. Specifically, the Members expressed deep concern that the Louisiana Department of Corrections has, “engaged in a pattern or practice of violations of the United States Constitution and federal law in its use of such confinement and detention practices.” In the letter the Representatives urge the Attorney General to begin an investigation into the use of solitary confinement, and other troubling detention practices, in numerous Louisiana prison facilities, especially in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, Louisiana.

The full version of the letter transmitted to the Department of Justice can be found below:

New Photos of Robert H. King of the Angola 3 with US Congressman John Conyers

PHOTOS: Robert King had a meeting this May with John Conyers to discuss prison issues and the Angola 3 case.

Hard Time - promo from Shebafilms Kelly Saxberg on Vimeo.

The new film about Robert King, entitled 'Hard Time' screens in Canada w/ TV news coverage

Hard Time - promo from Shebafilms Kelly Saxberg on Vimeo.

You can watch the TV segment by Thunder Bay News Watch, and read their separate written article, both of which feature an interview with Robert King, while the video presents archival video footage from the day of King's release from Angola in 2001.

The news coverage marked the February 12 screening of the new documentary film about King by Lakehead University professor Ron Harpelle, entitled Hard Time. The following day, King spoke at both the Thunder Bay Public Library and at Lakehead University.

Watch the trailer for the new UK film entitled: Who are the Angola 3?

Featured above is the trailer for a new film from the United Kingdom, entitled "Who Are the Angola 3?" It is directed by Hugo Levien, and produced by Sian Smith. Read more here.

Strategizing to Defeat Control Unit Prisons and Solitary Confinement --An interview with author/activist Nancy Kurshan

Buy the new book Out of Control here.

Strategizing to Defeat Control Unit Prisons and Solitary Confinement

--An interview with author/activist Nancy Kurshan

By Angola 3 News

Author and longtime activist Nancy Kurshan’s new book, entitled Out of Control: A Fifteen Year Battle Against Control Unit Prisons, has just been released by the Freedom Archives. Kurshan’s book documents the work of The Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML), which she co-founded in 1985 as a response to the lockdown at the federal prison in Marion, Illinois. It quickly turned into a broader campaign against control unit prisons and human rights violations in US prisons that lasted fifteen years, until 2000.  The following excerpt from Out of Control details CEML’s origins:

Two-part article on Albert Woodfox, the Angola 3 and the broader epidemic of solitary confinement in US prisons, written by Katti Gray, The Root

(Herman Wallace, left, with Albert Woodfox, right.)

We are reprinting in full, two recent articles by Katti Gray, writing for The Root. Part one, entitled "Freedom After 40 Years in Solitary?," focuses mostly on the pending decision from US District Court Judge James A. Brady, who in 2008 ruled to overturn his conviction. That ruling was ultimately reinstated on appeal by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Part two, entitled "Reforming Prison's Harshest Tactic," focuses mostly on solitary confinement in US prisons. You can read parts one and two at The Root, or you can read the two articles reprinted below, with our own photos added (quick link here).