From Prisoners to the President
In December 2008, as I was starting the final year of a 12-year sentence in a New York state prison, the African American Organization, led by prisoners in Otisville Correctional Facility, put together its annual Kwanzaa celebration. During the seven days of Kwanzaa men from the prison would gather in a classroom and observe each day’s principle. Every night for about three hours, we would listen to prepared speeches from our peers that explored the principle of the night. Th
From Prisoners to the President: A collection of 2008 letters to President-elect Obama shows that
Originally posted on The Nation In December 2008, as I was starting the final year of a 12-year sentence in a New York state prison, the African American Organization, led by prisoners in Otisville Correctional Facility, put together its annual Kwanzaa celebration. During the seven days of Kwanzaa men from the prison would gather in a classroom and observe each day’s principle. Every night for about three hours, we would listen to prepared speeches from our peers that explore
