The narrative explores the transformative journeys of prisoners who educate themselves in the law, empowering them to advocate for their peers. Through their struggles and triumphs, these individuals not only seek justice for themselves but also work to secure freedom for others, highlighting themes of resilience, hope, and the pursuit of justice within the confines of incarceration. Their stories reveal the profound impact of knowledge and solidarity in the fight against systemic challenges.
Radical Black journalist Abu-Jamal reflects on deep themes such as life, death, freedom, family, and faith during his time on death row. His meditations offer a poignant and introspective look at the human experience, shaped by his unique perspective and circumstances. These writings serve as powerful commentaries on societal issues and personal struggles, providing insight into his thoughts while facing the ultimate consequence of his actions.
A vivid and compelling picture of the Black Panther Party. By focusing on the men and women who were the Party, as much as on the leadership, Mumia Abu-Jamal combines his memories of day-to-day life as a panther with analysis of the history of Black liberation struggles to help us to understand freedom.
Mumia Abu-Jamal offers a powerful and fearless perspective from within the prison system, addressing themes of injustice and systemic oppression. His insights challenge societal norms and provoke critical thought about race, freedom, and human rights. Renowned author Alice Walker emphasizes the importance of his voice, suggesting that understanding his experiences is essential for confronting uncomfortable truths about society. This work serves as a poignant reminder of the impact of incarceration on individual lives and the broader community.
"In 1970 the feds framed Marshall "Eddie" Conway for the murder of a Baltimore city police officer. He was twenty-four years old. They threw him in prison; took him away from his family his friends, and his organizing; and tried to relegate him to a life marked by nothing but legal appeals, riots and lockdowns, and transfers from one penal colony to the next. But they failed. Forty years later, still incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit, Eddie Conway continues to resist."--Page 4 of cover
"From the first slave writings to contemporary hip hop, the canon of African American literature offers a powerful counter-narrative to dominant notions of American culture, history, and politics. Resonant with voices of prophecy and resistance, the African American literary tradition runs deep with emancipatory currents that have had an indelible impact on the United States and the world. Mumia Abu-Jamal has been one of our most important contributors to this canon for decades, writing from the confines of the US prison system to give voice to those most silenced by chronic racism, impoverishment, and injustice. Writing on the Wall is a selection of one hundred previously unpublished essays that crystalize Mumia Abu-Jamal's essential perspectives on community, politics, power, social change, and US history. From discussions of Rosa Parks and Trayvon Martin to John Walker Lindh and Edward Snowden, Abu-Jamal articulates lucid, humorous, and often prescient insight into the past, present, and future of American politics and society. Written as radio commentaries from his prison cell in Death Row, where he was held in solitary confinement for close to thirty years, Mumia's revolutionary perspective brims with hope, encouragement, and profound faith in the possibility of social change and redemption. MUMIA ABU-JAMAL is an award-winning journalist and author of two best-selling books, Live From Death Row and Death Blossoms, which address prison life from a critical and spiritual perspective. In 1981 he was elected president of the Association of Black Journalists (Philadelphia chapter). That same year he was arrested for allegedly killing a white police officer in Philadelphia. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1982, in a process that has been described as an epic miscarriage of justice. After spending more than 28 years on death row, in 2011 his death sentence was vacated when the Supreme Court allowed to stand the decisions of four federal judges who had earlier declared his death sentence unconstitutional. He is now serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. In spite of his three-decade-long imprisonment, most of which was spent in solitary confinement on Death Row, Abu-Jamal has relentlessly fought for his freedom and for his profession. From prison he has written seven books and thousands of radio commentaries. He holds a BA from Goddard College and an MA from California State University, Dominguez Hills. His books have sold more ..
Der zu Unrecht zum Tode verurteilte afroamerikanische Journalist und Autor Mumia Abu Jamal legt mit diesem bislang nur in Deutschland erschienenen Buch eine Auswahl seiner aktuellen Essays vor, die seit Dezember 2000 als Kolumnen in der Samstagsausgabe der Berliner Tageszeitung junge Welt veröffentlicht wurden.
Mit seinem ersten Buch "...aus der Todeszelle" löste der zum Tode verurteilte afroamerikanische Journalist Mumia Abu Jamal 1995 eine heftige Kontroverse über die Todesstrafe und den Rassismus des US-amerikanischen Gesellschafts- und Justizsystems aus. In den Essays und Reflexionen seines zweiten Buches taucht der Autor tiefer in die geistigen Sphären der menschlichen Existenz ein. Mumia Abu Jamal konfrontiert den Leser mit grundlegenden Fragen des gesellschaftlichen Lebens und des individuellen Lebenssinns. Er ist ein Gläubiger, dessen Religion das Leben ist.
