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Albert Woodfox, who spent nearly 44 years in solitary confinement, dies : NPR


Albert Woodfox is a former member of the Black Panthers who has been in solitary confinement at the Louisiana State Prison for over 43 years.

Alain Jocard / AFP via Getty Images


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Alain Jocard / AFP via Getty Images


Albert Woodfox is a former member of the Black Panthers who has been in solitary confinement at the Louisiana State Prison for over 43 years.

Alain Jocard / AFP via Getty Images

Albert Woodfox, who spent nearly 44 years in solitary confinement – arguably the longest in US history – died on Thursday from complications related to the coronavirus, according to his family.

He is 75 years old.

In 1965, Woodfox was incarcerated at the Louisiana State Prison on charges of armed robbery. Woodfox and the late Herman Wallace were found guilty 1972 kill Brent Milleran employee corrects mistakes, but has long maintained their chastity.

The prison is located on a former plantation known as Angola and Woodfox, Wallace and another prisoner, Robert King, are called “Angola 3” for the immense length of their solitary confinement.

Amnesty International and other advocacy groups believe Angola 3 was a target of abuse because of the Black Panther Party’s efforts inside the prison.

Woodfox spent the next 43 years in a 6 x 9 foot cell for 23 hours a day, suffering from a fear of suffocation, suffocation, beatings and other forms of torture.

“Well, gas is a standard form of weapon used by security personnel. So whenever you challenge inhuman treatment or you protest unconstitutional behavior, they attack you.” , he told NPR’s Scott Simon in 2019 interview.

“And depending on the severity of the confrontation, they’ll open up your cell, and they’ll come in and beat you down, then chain you up and put you in the dungeon, and you’ll probably be there. 10 days minimum,” he added.

Woodfox (left) throws his fists as he takes to the stage during his first public appearance after being released from the Angola Prison in Louisiana in early 2016.

Max Becherer / AP


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Max Becherer / AP


Woodfox (left) throws his fists as he takes to the stage during his first public appearance after being released from the Angola Prison in Louisiana in early 2016.

Max Becherer / AP

Woodfox is remembered for his optimism and resilience during those years of torture.

He spent his time educating himself and others. He taught detainees how to read and play games with them.

He also refused to be silent. Woodfox protested and organized strikes over poor prison conditions, racial injustice and exploitative working hours.

“I spent a lot of time reading, writing – educating myself. I spent a lot of time educating myself in both criminal and civil law,” Woodfox said.

“And we lived on what we called an organized level following the principles of the Black Panther Party, developing solidarity among others in the hierarchy. We taught people how to read and write, which which I think is my greatest achievement,” he said.

Woodfox said the strength and determination his mother instilled in him kept him going. Having Wallace and King not only his teammates but also his best friends, also helped him endure the isolation, he said.

His sentence for the murder of Miller was overturned several times during solitary confinement. Woodfox was released on his 69th birthday in 2016 following a plea deal for lower fees.

He spent the next six years educating the United States and the world about the horrors of the criminal justice system and advocating against solitary confinement.

Woodfox joins King’s fight to end solitary confinement in America

King released from prison in 2001. Wallace was released in 2013, but he died soon after from cancer.

Woodfox’s Memoir 2019 Singlewhich he co-authored with his collaborator Leslie George, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

Throughout his solitary confinement, Woodfox never gave up hope of being released.

“That’s something I don’t give up. When this first started, we knew that, if we wanted to survive, we had to find strength from outside, from society, so instead of looking inward and become institutional, we decided that we’re going to go social,” he said in a 2016 interview on NPR’s All things Considered.

“I will not allow prison staff to determine who I am and what I believe in,” he added.



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