Louisiana's Angola: How Close To The Ocean?

Angola, Louisiana, is a maximum-security prison in the United States, located in West Feliciana Parish. It is about 130 miles from New Orleans, Louisiana, and is set between oxbow lakes on the east side of a bend of the Mississippi River. Angola is about an hour's drive from Baton Rouge and about a two-hour drive from New Orleans. The prison is named after the country of Angola, from which many enslaved people originated before arriving in Louisiana.

Angola, Louisiana is a maximum-security prison

The land the prison sits on was known as the Angola Plantations before the American Civil War. It was a slave plantation owned by slave trader Isaac Franklin, named after the country of Angola, from which many of the enslaved people originated. The prison is located at the end of Louisiana Highway 66.

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, was opened in 1901. It was designed to be as self-sufficient as possible, functioning as a miniature community with a canning factory, a dairy, a mail system, a small ranch, repair shops, and a sugar mill. Prisoners raised food staples and cash crops.

Angola has a long history of harsh conditions and violence. In the 1930s, the prison was described as being "even further removed from decent civilization" than it was in the 1990s. In 1952, 31 inmates cut their Achilles tendons in protest of the prison's conditions. In 1971, the American Bar Association described Angola as "medieval, squalid and horrifying".

Efforts to reform and improve conditions at Angola have been ongoing. In 1972, Elayne Hunt, a reforming director of corrections, was appointed by Governor Edwin Edwards. In 1975, U.S. District Judge Frank Polozola of Baton Rouge declared conditions at Angola to be in a state of emergency.

Today, Angola is considered a multi-security institution. 29% of the prison's beds are designated for maximum-security inmates. Most inmates live in dormitories instead of cell blocks. The prison offers various educational programs and vocational classes to prisoners.

Angola also has several recreational facilities for prison staff, including ball fields, a golf course, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and a walking track.

It's located 130 miles from New Orleans

Angola, Louisiana is located approximately 130 miles from New Orleans. This distance is calculated as a straight line from Angola to New Orleans and may not reflect the actual travel distance. The travel distance between the two locations can vary depending on the mode of transportation and the specific route taken.

When planning a trip from Angola to the Gulf of Mexico, it is important to consider the different options available. One option is to drive to New Orleans and then continue to the Gulf of Mexico. This would involve a drive of approximately 130 miles to New Orleans, followed by a further journey to reach the Gulf of Mexico. The total travel time and distance will depend on the chosen route and traffic conditions.

Another option is to take a bus or train from Angola to New Orleans and then continue to the Gulf of Mexico by plane, bus, or train. This option may offer more flexibility in terms of travel times and routes. Additionally, it is worth noting that the closest real Gulf beach to New Orleans is Dauphin Island, Alabama, which is approximately 160 miles away. This beach offers a more authentic experience and is a popular destination for those seeking a relaxing weekend by the sea.

When considering a trip to the Gulf of Mexico, it is important to keep in mind that the distance and travel time may vary depending on the specific location along the Gulf Coast that you plan to visit. Additionally, weather conditions and seasonal changes can also impact your travel plans, with some areas experiencing hurricane seasons that may affect beach conditions and accommodation availability. It is always a good idea to check the latest information and plan your trip accordingly.

Angola was once called The Bloodiest Prison in the World

Angola, Louisiana, was once known as "The Bloodiest Prison in the World". Located on the west side of a bend in the Mississippi River, the prison is flanked on three sides by water. The Louisiana State Penitentiary, as it is officially known, has a long and violent history.

The site of the prison was once a slave plantation, named after the country in Africa from which many of the enslaved people originated. After the Civil War, the plantation was purchased by former Confederate Major Samuel Lawrence James, who used convict leasing to run the plantation with forced labour. James was responsible for the room and board of the convicts, and had total authority over them. Under his management, convicts were frequently abused, underfed, and subjected to unregulated violence.

In 1886, public outcry over the harsh conditions and rising inmate deaths led to the formation of the Prison Reform Association in New Orleans. This group successfully advocated for a constitutional ban on convict leasing, which was adopted in 1898. The state of Louisiana resumed control of the prison in 1901, but it continued to be known for its brutality.

In 1952, 31 inmates cut their Achilles tendons in protest of the harsh conditions and brutal treatment at Angola. This led to national news agencies exposing the state of the prison, with Collier's Magazine referring to it as "the worst prison in America".

In the 1960s, Angola was dubbed "the bloodiest prison in the South" due to the high rate of inmate assaults. In 1971, the American Bar Association described Angola as "medieval, squalid and horrifying". Inmate violence was rampant, with one in every ten inmates being stabbed each year.

In the 1970s, court-ordered reforms were implemented, and by 1977, inmate violence had decreased significantly, with the violent death rate dropping to zero. Today, Angola is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, with 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff. While conditions have improved, legal battles over the prison's conditions continue to this day.

Inmates work in fields on a former slave plantation

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is a maximum-security prison farm in Louisiana. It is named after the former slave plantation that once occupied the territory. The plantation was named after the country of Angola, from which many of the enslaved people originated before arriving in Louisiana.

Inmates at Angola work in fields on what was once a slave plantation. The prison is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, with 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff. It is located in West Feliciana Parish, between oxbow lakes on the east side of a bend in the Mississippi River. The prison sits on 28 square miles of land that was once the Angola Plantations, a slave plantation owned by slave trader Isaac Franklin.

In the 19th century, the Angola plantation was purchased by Samuel Lawrence James, a former major in the Confederate Army. Inmates were housed in old slave quarters and forced to work under a notorious convict leasing system. This system allowed private individuals to lease prisoners for forced labour.

Today, inmates at Angola continue to work in the fields, cultivating and harvesting various crops, including cotton, cabbage, corn, strawberries, okra, onions, peppers, soybeans, squash, tomatoes, and wheat. They are paid very low wages for their work and face punishment if they refuse. The prison is largely self-sufficient, with inmates also raising livestock and producing goods such as mattresses and cleaning tools.

Angola has a long and brutal history, with a legacy of slavery and forced labour that continues to the present day. Despite some reforms, criminal justice advocates continue to push for further changes to improve conditions for inmates.

The prison has its own radio show and news magazine

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola, is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. It is located in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, and is set between oxbow lakes on the east side of a bend of the Mississippi River. The prison is about 22 miles northwest of St. Francisville, about 50 miles northwest of Baton Rouge, and 135 miles northwest of New Orleans.

Angola has its own radio show, KLSP 97.1, and news magazine, The Angolite. The Angolite is the inmate-edited and published prison magazine of the Louisiana State Penitentiary. It gained a national reputation for reporting and won international awards under prisoner co-editors Wilbert Rideau and Billy Sinclair. The magazine won the George Polk Award in 1979, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award.

KLSP, Hot 91.7 is the only prison radio station in the country. It is a 100-watt radio station that operates at 91.7 on the FM dial from inside the prison to approximately 6,000 potential listeners, including inmates and penitentiary staff. Inmates operate the station and carry some satellite programming. The station airs a variety of programming, including gospel, jazz, blues, rock-n-roll, country, and oldies music, as well as educational and religious programs.

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