National non-profit Freedom Reads opens 37 Freedom Libraries across cellblocks in Northern State Prison and Edna Mahan Correctional Facility; facilitates Inside Literary Prize book discussions, voting, and author events at both prisons
The New Jersey Department of Corrections and the national non-profit Freedom Reads announced the opening of 37 new Freedom Libraries in two New Jersey prisons – 10 Freedom Libraries in cellblocks across Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, and 27 in cellblocks across Northern State Prison. As of today, Freedom Reads has opened 478 Freedom Libraries in 48 adult and youth prisons in 12 states.
“We gratefully acknowledge Freedom Reads for their generous donation. The Freedom Library collections are more than books and resources,” said Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn, Esq. “They are agents for transformation and possess the power to empower individuals, unlock opportunities, and build a culture of learning that directly supports rehabilitation, reintegration, and the creation of a more promising future.
Books in the Freedom Library have been carefully curated through consultations with hundreds of poets, novelists, philosophers, teachers, friends, and voracious readers, resulting in a collection of books that are not only beloved, but indispensable. The libraries include contemporary poetry, novels, and essays alongside classic works such as Homer’s The Odyssey and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man – titles that remind us that books have long been a freedom project.
“Freedom Reads’ vision is to open a Freedom Library in every cellblock in every prison in America, bringing the voices of Baldwin and Faulkner and Morrison to everyone Inside,” said Freedom Reads Founder & CEO Reginald Dwayne Betts. “At this week’s Freedom Library openings and Inside Literary Prize events, I read poems from my new book of poetry, Doggerel, and was again reminded of the power of literature to connect us all. We laughed, we wept, we imagined a possibility beyond prison walls, and we did it in collaboration with the leadership of the New Jersey Department of Corrections. And, most importantly, we tried to remind those Inside that their voices, their opinions, their lives matter.”
“Each book had so many layers of symbolism and messages,” Inside Literary Prize judge Tina at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility wrote to Freedom Reads. “I believe if I re-read these books again I would unravel more layers about each character. With each book I experienced many different feelings. These books were different genres that I normally don’t read but it was a good experience to venture out of my comfort zone.”
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