American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 41 (2020) Winner
Albert Woodfox
アルバート・ウッドフォックス
Albert Woodfox
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1947-02-19 （New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.）
- Died
- 2022-08-04 （New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.） age 75
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola Prison), Louisiana, U.S. → New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. (after release)
Career
- Occupations
- author, activist
- Active Years
- 1971-2022
- Memberships
- Black Panther Party (member)
- Influenced By
- Political education and ideas of the Black Panther Party
- Influenced
- Advocates and activists for solitary confinement awareness and prison reform
- Nominations
- Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction (finalist), National Book Award for Nonfiction (finalist)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (Nonfiction) | Solitary | ノンフィクション | Hurston/Wright Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2020 | The Stowe Prize | Solitary | — | Harriet Beecher Stowe Center | 受賞 |
Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (Nonfiction)
2020
Work:
Solitary
Category:
ノンフィクション
Organization:
Hurston/Wright Foundation
Result:
受賞
The Stowe Prize
2020
Work:
Solitary
Organization:
Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Solitary: Unbroken by Four Decades in Solitary Confinement. My Story of Transformation and Hope
2019 Memoir / NonfictionA memoir recounting Woodfox's early life, involvement with the Black Panther Party, decades-long solitary confinement since 1972, his legal struggles and eventual release, and his personal transformation and activism. Central themes include the psychological and physical effects of solitary confinement and criticism of the U.S. prison system.
solitary confinementhuman rights and critique of prison systemresilienceAfrican American history and strugglepolitical activism (Black Panther Party)
Bibliography
- Solitary (2019)
Adaptations
- Featured in documentaries and programs related to the Angola Three
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- frank, reflective first-person narrationtestimonial, experience-based accountdirect engagement with political and social issues
- Recurring Motifs
- isolation and solitudehope and regenerationresistance and dignity
Health
-
Complications from COVID-19 (cause of death)2022年Died in 2022 due to complications from COVID-19. He had reported health issues related in part to decades of solitary confinement.
Legacy
Albert Woodfox was a prominent figure who made the human-rights implications of long-term solitary confinement visible internationally. Through his memoir Solitary he highlighted the effects of isolation and injustices of the prison system. His case influenced debates on prison policy and abolition of long-term solitary confinement and is cited by activists and scholars.
In Popular Culture
- Subject of documentaries such as 'Angola 3: Black Panthers and the Last Slave Plantation' and 'In the Land of the Free'
- Featured in music videos and art projects (e.g., Jackie Sumell's 'The House That Herman Built' related works)
Quotes
-
"When I began to understand who I was, I considered myself free."
Source: The New York Times (interview), 2016 (2016)
Trivia
- He was held in solitary confinement from 1972 for decades, reportedly serving some 43–45 years in total.
- He connected with and was influenced by the Black Panther Party and helped organize prisoner education.
- He was released on February 19, 2016, his 69th birthday.
- His memoir 'Solitary' was a finalist for major literary awards including the Pulitzer and National Book Award.