Hello Family,
I was just watching a program regarding Angola Prison on the History Channel. I've seen other programs regarding Angola Prison and knew what was coming ... and wasn't in the mood to have my soul tortured sitting through all of this one ... so i came here instead.
Are you all aware of the history of Angola Prison? It was originally a plantation manned by slaves from the African nation of Angola, thus its name. It was started in 1869 by Samuel James. He offered to house convicts (of course Black men) at no charge, in exchange to be able to work them for free. Most of the original prisoners were "freed" slaves, so you can imagine how much justice they received. The prisoners were doing the same kind of work they did before they were "freed," and are still doing that same type of work. Ultimately, the state bought the land and took over the responsibility of managing the prison, some 50 years later i believe.
If you have ever seen images of this place, it should send chills through your soul. It is a modern day slave plantation, run by the government. It has a long history of abuse and mistreatment of its prisoners. They have cotton fields, corn fields ... all the trappings of slavery. It's disgusting that this can be allowed to exist in this country. That we must tolerate knowing that it exists and is in full operation, just like back when it started. It's total disrespect, disregard, and insensitivity to all this country has done to Black folk in the past, to have a working vestige of those days still in operation today ... making millions of dollars i'm sure.
I heard on the History Channel program, before i quit watching, that slaves had it better than prisoners at Angola, since the slaver owner spent money for his slaves, he had some concern if they lived or died. Samuel James, the original owner, was quoted as saying, "one dies, get another." The life span of a prisoner at Angola was 5 years.
I can't imagine that there is any other mistreated, or oppressed people, that would tolerate this.
Angola Prison needs to be closed down.
Destee
I was just watching a program regarding Angola Prison on the History Channel. I've seen other programs regarding Angola Prison and knew what was coming ... and wasn't in the mood to have my soul tortured sitting through all of this one ... so i came here instead.
Are you all aware of the history of Angola Prison? It was originally a plantation manned by slaves from the African nation of Angola, thus its name. It was started in 1869 by Samuel James. He offered to house convicts (of course Black men) at no charge, in exchange to be able to work them for free. Most of the original prisoners were "freed" slaves, so you can imagine how much justice they received. The prisoners were doing the same kind of work they did before they were "freed," and are still doing that same type of work. Ultimately, the state bought the land and took over the responsibility of managing the prison, some 50 years later i believe.
If you have ever seen images of this place, it should send chills through your soul. It is a modern day slave plantation, run by the government. It has a long history of abuse and mistreatment of its prisoners. They have cotton fields, corn fields ... all the trappings of slavery. It's disgusting that this can be allowed to exist in this country. That we must tolerate knowing that it exists and is in full operation, just like back when it started. It's total disrespect, disregard, and insensitivity to all this country has done to Black folk in the past, to have a working vestige of those days still in operation today ... making millions of dollars i'm sure.
I heard on the History Channel program, before i quit watching, that slaves had it better than prisoners at Angola, since the slaver owner spent money for his slaves, he had some concern if they lived or died. Samuel James, the original owner, was quoted as saying, "one dies, get another." The life span of a prisoner at Angola was 5 years.
I can't imagine that there is any other mistreated, or oppressed people, that would tolerate this.
Angola Prison needs to be closed down.
Destee