Exploring Angola's Diverse Plantations: A Comprehensive Guide

Angola, also known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is a maximum-security prison farm located around 50 miles northwest of Baton Rouge. The prison sits on an 18,000-acre property that was once the Angola Plantation—a slave plantation named after the country of Angola, from which many of the enslaved people originated. The plantation was originally owned by slave trader Isaac Franklin and later purchased by the state of Louisiana in 1900. Today, Angola is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, housing approximately 6,300 prisoners and employing 1,800 staff members.

Angola Prison is a maximum-security prison farm located on what was once the Angola Plantation

Angola Prison, officially known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is a maximum-security prison farm located on the site of what was once the Angola Plantation. The plantation was named after the country of Angola, from which many of the enslaved people who worked the land were originally from.

The Angola Plantation was a slave plantation owned by slave trader Isaac Franklin. It occupied 28 square miles of land in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, between oxbow lakes on the east side of a bend in the Mississippi River.

After slavery was abolished, the plantation was purchased by Samuel Lawrence James, a former major in the Confederate Army. James continued to use forced labour on the plantation, now in the form of convict leasing. James was responsible for the room and board of the convicts he leased from the state and had total authority over them. Under his management, the plantation became known as one of the bloodiest prisons in the nation.

In 1901, the state of Louisiana opened the Louisiana State Penitentiary on the site of the former plantation. The prison has retained the name "Angola" and is often referred to as "The Farm". It is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, with 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff.

Today, Angola Prison is still operated as a working farm. Inmates cultivate crops and raise livestock, with many beginning their time at the prison working in the cotton fields.

Angola Prison is the largest maximum-security prison in the US, with 6,300 prisoners and 1,800 staff

Angola Prison, officially known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is the largest maximum-security prison in the US. Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in West Feliciana Parish, the prison sits on 28 square miles of land that was once the Angola Plantation—a slave plantation named after the country of Angola, from which many of the enslaved people originated.

Today, Angola Prison houses 6,300 prisoners and employs a staff of 1,800, including corrections officers, janitors, maintenance workers, and wardens. The prison is known for its harsh conditions and high rate of incarceration, with over 90% of inmates dying within the premises. It is often referred to as the "Alcatraz of the South" due to its remote location and strict security.

The history of Angola Prison is deeply intertwined with the legacy of slavery and racial injustice. After the abolition of slavery, the Angola Plantation was purchased by a former Confederate Army major, who continued to exploit the labour of African Americans through the convict lease system. This pattern persisted, with the prison gaining a reputation for brutality, riots, escapes, and murder.

Despite reforms and improvements over the years, Angola Prison remains a stark reminder of the dark history of American justice and racial division. With its vast size, isolated location, and high percentage of prisoners serving life sentences, Angola stands as a powerful symbol of mass incarceration in the United States.

The prison is almost entirely self-supporting, with inmates cultivating, harvesting and processing crops

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 was once a slave plantation, and its inmates now work the same land. The prison is almost entirely self-sufficient, with inmates cultivating, harvesting, and processing various crops. Angola's 28 square miles of land are used to grow wheat, corn, cotton, strawberries, okra, onions, peppers, soybeans, squash, tomatoes, and other produce. Inmates also raise and train horses, and the prison has about 2,000 head of cattle, which are sold at market for beef.

Inmates are paid very little for their labour, and in the first three years of working, they are not paid at all. After that, they might receive $0.02 per hour. Inmates are forced to work in extreme heat and are punished if they refuse. They are made to work with their bare hands and are denied modern agricultural tools, clean drinking water, and protective gear. Inmates with serious health issues are not excused from working in the fields, and they are provided with inadequate medical care.

In September 2023, a class-action lawsuit was filed by several incarcerated workers and the New Orleans-based advocacy group Voice of the Experienced, calling for an end to the farm line and accusing the state of cruel and unusual punishment. The lawsuit described the work as "backbreaking", and inmates reported that they were punished for collapsing due to heat stroke and other conditions.

Angola Prison holds a rodeo twice a year, with all proceeds going towards subsidising the inmate welfare fund

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

The prison holds a rodeo twice a year, in April and October, with all proceeds going towards subsidising the inmate welfare fund. The Angola Prison Rodeo is the longest-running prison rodeo in the United States, first established in 1965. The rodeo includes traditional events such as bull riding, bronco riding, and barrel racing, as well as unique events like Convict Poker and Prisoner Pinball. The rodeo is a behavioural incentive for offenders, who can earn money and sell their artwork and furniture.

The rodeo has grown in popularity over the years, with a new arena accommodating more than 10,000 attendees. Tickets are priced at $20 per person, with children under two years old admitted for free. The rodeo is produced by professionals and includes safety measures such as protective gear for participants, rodeo clowns, and emergency personnel on standby.

In addition to the rodeo, the prison also holds a biannual Arts and Crafts Festival, where prisoners sell handmade items. The rodeo and the festival combined raise funds for religious and educational programs for the inmates, with each spring rodeo bringing in approximately $450,000.

The prison has its own magazine and radio station, the only penitentiary in the US to be issued an FCC license to operate a radio station

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is a maximum-security prison farm in Louisiana, United States. The prison is named after the country of Angola, from which many of the enslaved people who once worked the land were from.

Angola is the only penitentiary in the US to be issued an FCC license to operate a radio station. KLSP (Louisiana State Penitentiary) is a 100-watt radio station that operates at 91.7FM from inside the prison. Inmates are responsible for operating the station, which airs 20 hours of daily airtime, including music, educational and religious programs. The station was established in 1986 as a means of communicating with the entire prison population at once, particularly in emergencies.

In addition to its radio station, Angola also has its own magazine, called 'The Angolite'. It is an inmate-edited and published magazine that has gained a national reputation for its reporting, winning several awards. The Angolite was the first prison publication to be nominated for a National Magazine Award.

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