Archiving the ‘Voices of Mass Incarceration’ at Brown’s John Hay Library

In 1982, Mumia Abu-Jamal was sentenced to death for the murder of a Philadelphia police officer. An ex-Black Panther, he had no prior criminal record. Amnesty International investigated his case and found in many ways that it "failed to meet minimum international standards.” He’s been incarcerated for more than 40 years.

Over those decades, Abu-Jamal has become a leader of the anti-death penalty movement and an influential critic of mass incarceration. He’s written multiple books, and appeared on countless radio programs and documentaries — all while serving what is now a life sentence. 

This fall, scholars and activists met at Brown to mark a new chapter in Abu-Jamal’s story. The John Hay Library at Brown University, in partnership with Brown’s Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women, and the Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, acquired Abu-Jamal’s writings — 97 boxes — and opened them to the public. 

On this episode: Dan Richards talks with two Brown archivists about this new collection, and what it’s like preserving the work of one of the most famous incarcerated people in America. Dan also speaks with a scholar at Brown who is working to collect the histories of incarcerated people about the importance of filling this gap in our nation's historical record. 

Watch the opening remarks of the "Voices of Mass Incarceration" symposium’ 

Read more about the collection of Mumia Abu-Jamal’s archives

Learn about the Watson Institute’s other podcasts

Guests on this episode:

• Amanda Strauss – Associate University Librarian for Special Collections and Director of the John Hay Library
• Christopher West – Curator of the Black Diaspora, Brown University
• Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve – Associate Professor of Sociology, Brown University