Exploring Angola's Black Inmate Population: A Startling Number

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola, is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. It is located on 18,000 acres of land, housing 6,300 prisoners and employing 1,800 staff. The prison has a long and brutal history, with a particular focus on the exploitation of Black inmates.

Inmates at Angola Prison are suing to end working farm lines in brutal heat

In July 2024, inmates at Louisiana's Angola Prison sued to end working farm lines in brutal heat. The prison, formerly a slave plantation, is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, with 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff.

Inmates at Angola Prison, most of whom are Black, are forced to work on the prison farm for little or no pay, even in extreme heat. They are made to hoe, weed, and pick crops by hand, surrounded by armed guards on horseback. If they refuse, they can be punished or sent to solitary confinement. This has been described as a form of modern-day slavery and a violation of the 8th Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

In September 2023, several incarcerated workers, along with the advocacy group Voice of the Experienced, filed a class-action lawsuit against the prison, calling for an end to the farm line. As temperatures rose in May 2024, the inmates also asked the court to stop work during periods of extreme heat.

U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson issued a temporary restraining order, finding that prison officials had shown "deliberate indifference" to the risk of injuries or death of incarcerated workers. He ordered the state to address "glaring deficiencies" in its heat-related policies.

In response, the Louisiana Department of Corrections has provided inmates with sunscreen and pop-up tents for shade and agreed to give them five-minute breaks every half hour during heat alerts. However, inmates continue to face challenging conditions, with limited breaks and insufficient protection from the heat.

The issue of extreme heat in prisons has become increasingly concerning due to global warming, and it affects both outdoor work and conditions inside facilities, where many units lack air conditioning. The class-action lawsuit in Louisiana is set to go to court in September 2024.

Angola Prison is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States

Angola Prison, officially known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. It sits on 18,000 acres of land—more than the size of Manhattan—and is home to over 6,000 prisoners and 1,800 staff, including corrections officers, janitors, maintenance workers, and wardens. Located in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, the prison is flanked on three sides by water, with the Mississippi River forming its northern and eastern borders, and oxbow lakes to the east.

The prison's history is deeply rooted in the legacy of slavery and racial injustice. The land on which it stands was once the Angola Plantation, a slave plantation named after the country of Angola, from which many enslaved people originated before arriving in Louisiana. After the Civil War, the plantation was purchased by Isaac Franklin, a planter and slave trader. Following his death, his widow, Adelicia Cheatham, sold the plantation to former Confederate Major Samuel Lawrence James in 1880. Under his ownership, the land was developed using convict lease labour, with African Americans forced to work the land under harsh and inhumane conditions.

In 1901, the state of Louisiana purchased the plantation and established the Louisiana State Penitentiary, which became known as Angola Prison. The prison has a dark and violent history, earning nicknames such as "the bloodiest prison in America" and "Alcatraz of the South". It was known for its brutal conditions, rampant rape, and inmate slave trade. Inmates slept with catalogues tied to their waists for protection, and stabbings and deaths were common occurrences.

Despite efforts for reform and improvements in conditions, Angola Prison continues to face scrutiny and legal challenges. In recent years, there have been lawsuits regarding the treatment of incarcerated workers in the fields, extreme heat conditions, and extended periods of solitary confinement. The prison has also been criticised for its use of prison labour, with inmates working for mere pennies an hour or nothing at all, providing labour for massive global companies and popular brands.

Angola Prison stands as a stark reminder of the evolution of slavery into mass incarceration, particularly targeting Black Americans. With its size, history, and continued impact on the lives of those incarcerated and their families, Angola Prison remains a significant and controversial presence in the American criminal justice system.

Angola Prison was once a slave plantation

Angola Prison, officially known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, was once a slave plantation. The 18,000-acre complex currently confines more than 6,000 inmates, with more than 4,000 serving life sentences without parole. The prison sits in a natural basin surrounded on three sides by the Mississippi River and on the remaining side by the rugged Tunica Hills.

The land that is now Angola Prison was purchased in the 1830s by Isaac Franklin, a planter and slave trader. The territory was known before the American Civil War as the Angola Plantations, a slave plantation owned by Franklin. After Franklin's death in 1846, his widow, Adelicia Cheatham, sold the plantation in 1880 to Samuel Lawrence James, a former Confederate major.

Under the convict lease system, Major James ran his vast plantation using convicts leased from the state as his workers. He was responsible for their room and board and had total authority over them. James accumulated enough wealth during his first ten years with the convict lease to purchase the slave plantation in 1880.

For the next three decades, James ruled over a brutal convict work system that left hundreds dead and buried in unmarked graves. Some died from illness, others from forced slave labour, and others were beaten or gunned down by James' prison guards.

In 1901, the State of Louisiana purchased the plantation from James and initiated its own slave-styled penal enterprise. Even today, roughly 75% of the inmate population at Angola is Black, while the state's Black population is slightly more than 30%.

In November 2022, Louisiana voters had the chance to end the relationship between slavery and forced convict labour at Angola. They chose not to, rejecting a constitutional amendment that would have prohibited "slavery and involuntary servitude" in the state.

Angola Prison is nicknamed the Alcatraz of the South

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison, is a sprawling maximum-security facility in Louisiana, US. It is located on a large 18,000-acre site, bordered on three sides by swampland and the Mississippi River. The prison is isolated, situated in a remote area north of Baton Rouge, and is challenging to escape from.

Angola Prison is nicknamed the "Alcatraz of the South" due to its formidable reputation and history. It was established on former plantation land, named after the country of Angola, from which many enslaved people originated. The prison has a dark and brutal history, known for its harsh conditions, riots, assaults, and racial tensions. Over 90% of inmates who are sent to Angola die within the prison walls.

The prison has been the subject of various scandals and controversies, including allegations of self-dealing by prison employees and violations of inmate rights. It has also been criticised for its use of solitary confinement and the treatment of inmates on death row. However, efforts have been made over the years to reform and improve conditions, with major reforms introduced in the 1990s, particularly in medical care.

Despite its notoriety, Angola Prison has become a unique attraction, with its remote location and dark history intriguing visitors from around the world. The prison has a museum, which is one of the only prison museums in the US located within an active prison. The museum showcases artefacts from the prison's history and offers insight into the state's correctional system.

Angola Prison is also known for its outreach programs, including church services, veteran counselling, and the famous Angola Prison Rodeo, which takes place every April and October.

Angola Prison is home to the country's only inmate-operated radio station, KLSP

Angola Prison, officially known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is home to the country's only inmate-operated radio station, KLSP. The station, also known as the "Incarceration Station", operates at 100 watts with a reach of over 6,000 listeners, including inmates and penitentiary staff. It broadcasts a variety of programming, including gospel, jazz, blues, rock-n-roll, country, and oldies music, as well as educational and religious content. The station is licensed by the FCC and has been on air since 1986, making it a longstanding fixture of the prison.

The idea for KLSP was conceived as a means of communication within the vast and complex prison, which is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. With a population of 6,300 inmates and a history rooted in a former slave plantation, Angola Prison faces unique challenges in managing its inmate population. The radio station provides a vital avenue for disseminating information and updates to the entire community.

KLSP also serves as a productive outlet for inmates, allowing them to develop skills in music and technology. It offers a space for expression and communication, fostering a sense of community within the prison walls. The station plays a diverse range of music, from contemporary jazz and blues to country and gospel, reflecting the varied interests of its inmate DJs.

The establishment of KLSP is part of Angola Prison's unorthodox approach to inmate rehabilitation. By involving inmates in the operation of the station, the prison provides them with a sense of responsibility and a platform to develop new skills. This initiative is particularly significant given the lack of funding allocated to the prison's operations, often resulting in cost-cutting measures.

In addition to its practical purposes, KLSP has a positive impact on the mental health and well-being of the inmates. It provides an opportunity for self-expression and a sense of purpose, contributing to a more relaxed atmosphere within the prison. The station also enables inmates to connect with their faith, which has been shown to have a positive influence on their rehabilitation.

Overall, KLSP, the inmate-operated radio station at Angola Prison, is a unique and innovative feature of the correctional facility. It serves multiple purposes, from efficient communication to inmate rehabilitation, all while providing a diverse and entertaining broadcast to its listeners.

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