Angola, Louisiana: Parish And Prison Life

Angola, also known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is located in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. It is a maximum-security prison farm that houses around 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff. Angola is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States and is nicknamed the Alcatraz of the South. The prison is situated on a former slave plantation, from which it gets its name, and is known for its harsh conditions and history of forced labour.

Angola is a maximum-security prison in Louisiana

The history of Angola is tied to the history of slavery in the United States. The prison is named after the former slave plantation that occupied this territory. The plantation was named after the country of Angola, from which many enslaved people originated before arriving in Louisiana. The Angola plantation was owned by Isaac Franklin, a planter and slave trader, who was one of the largest slave traders in the United States. After the Civil War, Samuel Lawrence James, a former Confederate major, purchased the plantation and used convict lease labour to produce cotton with the forced labour of African Americans.

Angola has a long history of instability and violence. In the early 20th century, it was known as "the bloodiest prison in America". Conditions were harsh and inhumane, with prisoners subjected to forced labour, brutality, and overcrowding. In the 1970s, there was a push for reform, led by Elayn Hunt, the first female head of corrections in Louisiana. As a result of these reforms, inmate violence decreased, and the violent death rate plummeted to zero.

Today, Angola continues to be a maximum-security prison, housing some of the most dangerous criminals in the country. It offers educational and vocational programs to inmates, as well as mental health services and re-entry initiatives to prepare inmates for life after prison. The prison also has a robust agricultural program, with inmates cultivating crops and raising livestock. However, Angola has been criticised for its use of prison labour, with some arguing that it amounts to forced labour and slavery.

It is located in West Feliciana Parish

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is located in West Feliciana Parish. It is the state's oldest and only maximum-security prison. The penitentiary is situated at the end of Highway 66, about 22 miles northwest of the town of St. Francisville, Louisiana.

Angola is set between oxbow lakes on the east side of a bend in the Mississippi River and is thus surrounded by water on three sides. The prison sits on 28 square miles of land that was once the Angola Plantations, a slave plantation owned by slave trader Isaac Franklin before the American Civil War. The plantation was named after the country of Angola, from which many enslaved people originated before arriving in Louisiana.

The Louisiana State Penitentiary has a long and troubled history. It was first established as a convict lease to former Confederate Major Samuel L. James in 1870, who subjected inmates to harsh conditions and forced labour. In 1898, convict leasing was banned in Louisiana, and the state resumed control of its prisoners in 1901.

Today, Angola is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, with approximately 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff members. The prison has been the subject of various reforms over the years, aiming to improve conditions and provide rehabilitation opportunities for inmates. However, it still faces criticism for its use of forced labour and has been described as "America's Bloodiest Prison".

West Feliciana Parish, where Angola is located, has a rich history as well. The parish was established in 1824 and is part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan area. It is home to the River Bend Nuclear Generating Station, which produces a significant portion of Louisiana's electric power. The parish has a diverse racial composition, with a population of approximately 15,310 people as of the 2020 census.

Angola was a slave plantation before it became a prison

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola, is a maximum-security prison in Louisiana, United States. It is located in West Feliciana Parish, between oxbow lakes on the east side of the Mississippi River. The 28 square miles of land that the prison sits on was once a slave plantation called Angola, named after the country in Southern Africa from which many enslaved people were taken to Louisiana.

Before it became a prison, the Angola Plantation was owned by slave trader Isaac Franklin. After Franklin's death in 1846, his widow, Adelicia Cheatham, sold the plantation in 1880 to former Confederate Major Samuel L. James.

Under James, the plantation became a prison camp. James had received the military lease to the land in 1869, during the Reconstruction era, and tried to produce cotton with the forced labour of African Americans. As a prison camp owner, he leased convicts from the state as workers, forcing them to work under harsh conditions.

In 1900, the state purchased the prison camp from the James family, and in 1901, resumed control of its prisoners. Conditions for inmates began to improve, and new rehabilitative programs were introduced.

Today, Angola is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, with 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff. It is known for its self-sufficiency, with prisoners raising food staples and cash crops, and for its educational and rehabilitative programs.

The prison is known for its harsh conditions and history of violence

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is a maximum-security prison farm in Louisiana. It is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, with 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff. Angola has a violent history and has been nicknamed "The Bloodiest Prison in America" and the "Alcatraz of the South".

In the 1930s, hardened criminals broke down upon learning they were to be sent to Angola. At that time, one in every ten inmates was stabbed. The violence was often a result of white-black racial tensions in society.

In 1952, 31 inmates cut their Achilles tendons in protest of the prison's harsh conditions. This led to national news agencies exposing the brutal treatment at Angola. In its November 22, 1952, issue, Collier's Magazine referred to Angola as "the worst prison in America".

In the 1970s, Angola was still considered a violent place. An average of 12 inmates were stabbed to death each year. In 1971, the American Bar Association described Angola as "medieval, squalid and horrifying".

In 1999, six inmates took three officers hostage in Camp D. The hostage takers bludgeoned and fatally stabbed 49-year-old Captain David Knapps. Armed officers ended the rebellion by shooting the inmates, killing 26-year-old Joel Durham and seriously wounding another.

In 2004, Paul Harris of The Guardian wrote, "Unsurprisingly, Angola has always been famed for brutality, riots, escape and murder."

In 2019, seven members of staff at the facility were arrested for rape, smuggling items to inmates, and maintaining personal relationships with prisoners.

Despite improvements over the years, Angola has a violent past and has been the site of numerous assaults, riots, escapes, and murders.

Angola offers educational and vocational programs to inmates

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola, is a maximum-security prison in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. It is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, with 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff. Angola offers a wide range of educational and vocational programs to inmates, which can help them develop valuable skills and increase their chances of successful reintegration into society upon release.

Angola provides basic and broad-based educational programs to inmates, including literacy classes for those without a high school diploma or GED. Inmates can also enrol in GED classes and Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes to improve their basic literacy and numeracy skills. Additionally, the prison offers special education programming for inmates with behavioural, emotional, and/or learning disorders.

In terms of vocational programs, Angola has partnerships with several educational institutions, including Louisiana Technical College, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Ashland University, and the Louisiana Department of Education. Through these partnerships, inmates can participate in various vocational training programs such as automotive technology, carpentry, culinary arts, graphic communications, horticulture, and welding. Inmates who complete these programs can attain industry-recognised certifications, such as the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) and the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications. These certifications can enhance their employability upon release.

Furthermore, Angola offers faith-based programs, such as the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary program, which offers inmates the opportunity to obtain an associate or bachelor's degree in theology. This program has been shown to enhance inmates' social skills and quality of life. Additionally, faith-based initiatives can provide spiritual support and help inmates find value and purpose during their incarceration.

Inmates at Angola also have the chance to develop their artistic skills through activity clubs, including the award-winning prison magazine, *The Angolite*. They can also join re-entry programs and earn a GED or even a bachelor's degree through the Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans.

Overall, Angola's educational and vocational programs aim to provide inmates with meaningful opportunities for personal growth, skill development, and a sense of purpose. By offering these programs, the prison strives to reduce recidivism and increase the chances of successful reintegration for inmates upon their release.

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