Today, Albert Woodfox's autobiography hit the news-stands and went on sale around the world. The release of Solitary: Unbroken by four decades in solitary confinement. My story of transformation and hope, has been marked by significant news coverage.
National Public Radio featured both an interview with Albert and a separate book review entitled "In 'Solitary,' Determination And Humanity Win Over Injustice." This is a short excerpt:
SIMON: Over the years, Brent Miller's widow, Teenie, became convinced you couldn't have been the person who murdered her husband, right?
WOODFOX: Yes. When I got out, I had an opportunity to sit down with her and, you know, have dinner and meet with her and her daughter. And, you know, our hearts always did go out to Ms. Rogers because, you know, we knew that she was not being told the truth. You know, all of the evidence that pointed to someone else killing Brent Miller, she was never made aware of that to my understanding. And - but once, you know, our investigators and stuff, you know, talked to her and give her all the facts, then on her own she come to the conclusion that, you know, we had been wrongfully convicted for the death of her husband, you know. And she became an ardent supporter for our freedom, you know.
The Guardian reprinted a lengthy excerpt from Solitary, where "The former Black Panther and member of the Angola 3 reflects on how he turned his cell from a place of confinement to a space for personal growth." This is a snippet of the lengthy excerpt:
By the time I was 40 I saw how I had transformed my cell, which was supposed to be a confined space of destruction and punishment, into something positive. I used that space to educate myself, I used that space to build strong moral character, I used that space to develop principles and a code of conduct, I used that space for everything other than what my captors intended it to be.
In my forties, I saw how I’d developed a moral compass that was unbreakable, a strong sense of what was right or wrong, even when other people didn’t feel it. I saw it. I felt it. I tasted it. If something didn’t feel right, then no threat, no amount of pressure could make me do it. I knew that my life was the result of a conscious choice I made every minute of the day. A choice to make myself better. A choice to make things better for others. I made a choice not to break. I made a choice to change my environment. I knew I had not only survived 15 years of solitary confinement, I’d honored my commitment to the Black Panther party. I helped other prisoners understand they had value as human beings, that they were worth something.
The New York Times' review described it as an "uncommonly powerful memoir," concluding that "if the ending of this book does not leave you with tears pooling down in your clavicles, you are a stronger person than I am. More lasting is Woodfox’s conviction that the American justice system is in dire need of reform."
Solitary's release was also cited today by the Religion News Service in an article about a virtual reality tour against solitary confinement that was presented by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, an organization that supported the campaign for Albert's release.
The Book Tour Begins
On Saturday, March 2, Albert began his book tour in Arizona at the Tucson Festival of Books. His next appearance will be on March 20 at the New Orleans Public Library. Information for March 20 and other dates is featured directly below (find the latest book tour updates Solitary's website):
New Orleans, Louisiana: March 20, 6:00 PM
New Orleans Public Library, 219 Loyola Avenue
Book sales provided by Octavia Books
In conversation with Emily Maw
Washington DC: March 25, 7:00 PM
Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave NW
(More details to be announced)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: March 26, 7:30 PM
Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street
In conversation with Tracey Matisak
Brooklyn, New York: March 27, 7:30 PM
Brooklyn Public Library, 431 Sixth Avenue
In conversation with Jelani Cobb
Long Island City, New York: March 28, 10:30 AM
Fortune Society, 2976 Northern Blvd.
In conversation with Vinnie Schiraldi
Princeton, New Jersey: April 17
Princeton University
(More details to be announced)
Los Angeles, California: May 2, 6:00 PM
Eso Won Books, 4327 Degnan Blvd
(More details to be announced)
Berkeley, California: May 4
Bay Area Book Festival
(More details to be announced)
--Visit the Grove Press website (scroll to the bottom of the page) for the latest information about Albert's book tour, here.