Free Alabama Movement

The Free Alabama Movement (FAM) is an inmates rights group based in the United States. With the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee,[1] the Free Alabama Movement has organized the 2016 U.S. prison strike that involved an estimated 24,000 prisoners in 24 states, the largest prison strike in U.S. history.[2] The strike began on September 9, 2016, the 45th anniversary of the Attica Prison uprising.[3]

History

The Free Alabama Movement was founded at St. Clair Correctional Facility in 2013 by Robert Earl Council and Melvin Ray. Prior to their transfer to St. Clair, the founding members of FAM were incarcerated at Holman Correctional with Richard “Mafundi” Lake, a founding member of the 1970s prison rights group, Inmates for Action. Along with the legal education that they received at Holman, FAM founders credit Lake for their political education.[4]

FAM methods include work strikes, boycotts, protests and social media campaigns.[5] The organization first called for a strike in January 2014.[4][5] That same year, conversations between FAM and Brianna Peril of the Industrial Workers of the World led to the formation of the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee.[6]

2016 U.S. Prison Strike

FAM began organizing the 2016 U.S. prison strike at Holman in response to conditions that are considered a widespread problem the state of Alabama prisons: overcrowding and understaffing, among them. As part of the strike, inmates refused to work; demands were issued by groups representing each state involved in the strike.[7] In Alabama, correctional officers also went on strike for a weekend.[8][7]

2018 U.S. Prison Strike

Inmates across the United States organized a nationwide strike between August 21 and September 9, 2018. FAM organizers claim that shortly before the start of the strike, correctional officers at William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility moved one of FAM's key organizers into solitary confinement then released him after the end of the strike.[9]

2022 Alabama Prison Strike

FAM organized a statewide prison strike that commenced on September 26, 2022 and included at least five state facilities. The strike concluded on October 14, 2022.[10]

References
  1. Kim, E. Tammy (October 3, 2016). "A National Strike Against "Prison Slavery"". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on August 31, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  2. Hylton, Antonia (October 3, 2016). "We spoke to the inmate in solitary who inspired a national strike against 'modern-day slave conditions'". VICE News. Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  3. Speri, Alice (September 16, 2016). "The Largest Prison Strike in U.S. History Enters Its Second Week". The Intercept. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  4. Ross, Andrew; Thomas, Aiyuba (2023-05-25). "Alabama Rising". Inquest. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  5. "About Us | Free Alabama Movement". Archived from the original on 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  6. McCray, Rebecca (2018-08-28). "Prison Work Is Work". Popula. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  7. Schwartzappel, Beth (2016-09-27). "A Primer on the Nationwide Prisoners' Strike". The Marshall Project. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  8. Sheets, Connor (2016-09-27). "State confirms that guards went on strike at Alabama prison". Al.com. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  9. Sheets, Connor (2018-09-11). "Alabama prison protest organizer isolated during strike". Al.com. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  10. Ware, Jared (2022-11-11). "Alabama prison strikers' demands push for decarceration". Prism. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
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