Angola Prison Caskets: Available For Purchase?

Billy Graham, an American evangelist, was buried in a casket made by inmates at Angola Prison, a maximum-security prison in Louisiana. This has sparked interest in whether the public can purchase similar caskets. In the early 2000s, caskets made at Angola Prison were reserved for special guests who supported the prison ministries. However, it is important to note that the prison no longer produces caskets for the public. While Angola Prison caskets are not available for sale, the prison operates a museum and gift shop, with proceeds supporting prisoner welfare and rehabilitation programs.

Billy Graham's casket was built by Angola prisoners

Billy Graham was a world-renowned evangelist who preached to over 215 million people in more than 185 countries. He was laid to rest in a casket built by prisoners at Angola Prison, also known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, in 2006.

Franklin Graham, Billy's son, visited Angola in 2005 for the prison's annual rodeo and saw master carpenter Richard Lee "Grasshopper" Liggett crafting a casket in the woodworking shop. The Grahams had donated over $200,000 to the prison for ministry and chapel construction, and Franklin asked the warden, Burl Cain, if the carpenters could make two caskets for his parents. Franklin insisted on pine plywood, with an added request that the carpenters burn their names into the wood.

Liggett, along with Paul Krolowitz and Clifford Bowman, crafted the casket for Billy Graham. All three craftsmen are now deceased. The simple casket was adorned with a wooden cross affixed by prison inmates.

Although Angola Prison no longer makes caskets for the public, the prison operates a historical museum and gift shop, where proceeds are used for prisoner welfare and rehabilitation programs. The public can support the prison's woodworking shop and rehabilitation programs through these initiatives.

Angola prison no longer makes caskets for the public

Louisiana State Penitentiary, more commonly referred to as Angola Prison, has a long and fascinating history. In the early 2000s, it was known for crafting caskets not only for its inmates but also for special guests who supported the prison ministries. Notable figures laid to rest in caskets from Angola Prison include Billy Graham, a renowned evangelist, and his wife, Ruth Graham.

However, it is important to note that Angola Prison no longer creates caskets for the public. While they once had a casket-making business, it was specifically for those who had spent time and money supporting their prison ministries. The public cannot purchase an Angola casket, but there are other ways to support the prison's wood-working shop and prisoner rehabilitation programs.

The prison operates a historical museum and gift shop, where proceeds are used for prisoner welfare and rehabilitation. The museum showcases the horse-drawn hearse that carries prisoner caskets from the chapels to the cemetery. Angola Prison also hosts the country's largest and longest-running prison rodeo, during which prisoner artwork created in the wood-working program is available for purchase.

The story behind Billy Graham's casket is particularly intriguing. Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son, noticed inmates crafting caskets during a ministry visit in 2005. At that time, Warden Burl Cain had initiated a program where inmates constructed plywood caskets for themselves and other prisoners, as some families could not afford funeral services. Franklin Graham was captivated by the craftsmanship and requested two caskets for his parents in 2006.

The names of the inmates who crafted Billy Graham's casket, including master carpenter Richard Lee "Grasshopper" Liggett, were burned into the wood. These caskets were built with pine plywood, reflecting Billy Graham's simple lifestyle and message. The cost of these caskets was approximately $200 each, a fraction of the cost of a standard casket from a funeral home.

While Angola Prison no longer creates caskets for the public, their wood-working shop continues to play a vital role in prisoner rehabilitation and has left a lasting impact on those who were laid to rest in their handcrafted caskets.

The prison's coffin maker, Richard Leggett, is a busy man

Leggett works at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, more commonly known as Angola, where he is the primary coffin maker. He is kept busy by the fact that 97% of inmates now die in prison, up from 80% a decade ago. The rise in lengthy, mandatory sentences and a nationwide tough-on-crime attitude have resulted in a booming and aging prison population. Leggett always tries to keep three coffins in stock, but sometimes he has to increase his work schedule, as when two inmates died and another committed suicide in a five-day period.

Angola's funerals are elaborate affairs, with handmade coffins pulled to the graves by horse-drawn carriages, in rites conducted almost entirely by inmates. The coffins are built for Angola's inmates, most of whom will die at the prison. However, in the early 2000s, caskets were made for special guests who spent time and money supporting prison ministries. For example, Billy Graham, perhaps the world's most renowned evangelist, was buried in a simple pine plywood casket made by inmates at Angola.

Leggett takes pride in his work, stating that his mentor taught him the importance of always doing his best. He earns the prison's top wage of 20 cents an hour, and he enjoys admiring his finished products, especially the coffins. He knows that one of them will eventually be his own, as he'll "probably end up making [his] own."

Funerals at Angola are elaborate affairs

The caskets are hand-made by inmates in the prison's woodworking shop. The funeral services are complete with Angola Bible College-trained pastors, and the caskets are pulled to the graves by a horse-drawn carriage.

The hospice program at Angola is also run by inmates. Volunteers are selected from various "clubs and organizations" within the prison, including the Aryan Brotherhood and the Black Panthers. The program ensures that no one dies alone, with volunteers conducting vigils round-the-clock when death is imminent.

The hospice program has changed the culture of the prison, with inmates caring for one another and spreading peace within the facility. The impact of the hospice program has even reached beyond Angola, with Steven Garner, one of the first hospice volunteers, now helping other prisons implement similar programs.

Angola prison gets society's most serious offenders

Angola Prison, officially known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is a maximum-security prison that houses some of society's most serious offenders. With a population of 6,300 prisoners, it is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. The prison's history is steeped in brutality and violence, having been built on the site of a former slave plantation, and its past is marked by inhumane conditions and cruel treatment.

Angola's inmates include those convicted of serious crimes such as armed robbery, murder, and rape, with 71% serving life sentences and 1.6% sentenced to death. The prison has gained a reputation as one of the toughest in the country, earning nicknames like "the bloodiest prison in America" and the "Alcatraz of the South."

The conditions at Angola have been the subject of widespread criticism and legal challenges. In the past, inmates were subjected to forced labour, inadequate medical care, and cruel and unusual punishment, with reports of inmates being beaten, denied basic necessities, and worked to death under harsh conditions. In recent years, there have been efforts to reform and improve conditions, with the introduction of educational and vocational programs, as well as religious initiatives to reduce violence.

Despite these efforts, Angola continues to face scrutiny for its treatment of prisoners. In 2019, several staff members were arrested for rape, smuggling, and maintaining inappropriate relationships with inmates. Additionally, the prison has been criticised for its use of solitary confinement, with a federal lawsuit filed in 2017 challenging the practice as "cruel and unusual punishment."

The prison's history, location, and harsh conditions have made it a subject of fascination in popular culture, with several books, documentaries, and films referencing or featuring Angola. It is also known for its inmate-run newsmagazine, "The Angolite," and the country's only inmate-operated radio station, KLSP.

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