How Free Alabama Movement birthed the Sept. 9 nationwide protest, workstrike, boycott and demonstrations

by Free Alabama Movement, National Freedom Movement Against Mass Incarceration and Prison Slavery

On Sept. 9, 2016, the 45th anniversary of the Sept. 9, 1971, Attica Rebellion, the Free Alabama Movement kicks off the National Non-Violent and Peaceful Prison Shutdown for Civil and Human Rights at Holman Prison in Atmore, Alabama.

After launching its movement in 2014 with the first coordinated work stoppages and shutdowns in Alabama prison history, Free Alabama Movement, building on its success with that and subsequent strikes, issued a call in 2015 with its document titled “Free Alabama Movement’s 6-Step Plan of Action 2015” for the first coordinated nationwide prison work strike in U.S. history. This plan, along with its publication, “Let the Crops Rot in the Field,” were then circulated throughout FAM’s nascent network of supporters for its National Freedom Movement Against Mass Incarceration and Prison Slavery.

With assistance from other organizations and people, including Bro. Lorenzo Kom’boa and Sis. JoNina Ervin of the Ida B. Wells Coalition against Police Brutality, Brianna Peril and David Boehnke of IWW/IWOC, Annabelle Parker, Mary Ratcliff of the San Francisco Bay View newspaper, Free Mississippi Movement and Free Mississippi Movement United, Queen T of Sign of the Times and Free Ohio Movement, Anthony Robinson of New Underground Railroad, Mississippi Southern Belles, Anarchist Black Cross and many others, FAM began organizing, leading and directing this national call.

On Sept. 9, 2016, the 45th anniversary of the Sept. 9, 1971, Attica Rebellion, the Free Alabama Movement kicks off the National Non-Violent and Peaceful Prison Shutdown for Civil and Human Rights at Holman Prison in Atmore, Alabama.

Today, Sept. 9, 2016, at approximately 12:01 a.m., Free Alabama Movement has kicked off the Sept. 9 nationwide prison workstrikes, boycotts and international protests from Holman Prison in Atmore, Alabama, in solidarity with confirmed strikes underway in Florida, South Carolina and Texas.

FAM has reiterated its call, first made on Jan. 1, 2014, with its first coordinated workstrikes for non-violent and peaceful demonstrations both inside and outside of prisons as the solution to the exploitation and other forms of abuse that take place in America’s prisons, including forced prison slavery.

FAM has often stated that the solution to mass incarceration and prison slavery must be led by the men, women and children who are incarcerated and who are contributing to prison slavery and our own oppression by continuing to produce goods and provide services and purchase products that generate billions of dollars in revenue each year to support prison slavery. The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution continues to permit slavery to exist in this country “as punishment for crime whereof the person shall have been duly convicted,” and the institution and enterprise of slavery was legally transferred to the state government prison systems.

These non-violent and peaceful protests are designed to expose the nefarious economic motives of individuals, state and federal government, and corporations like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Starbucks, John Deer, ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), Victoria’s Secret, U.S. military, Whole Foods, Walmart, Keefe, AT&T and Verizon call centers, and many others behind laws like mandatory minimums, three strikes laws, juvenile prosecution as adults, etc. that are used to incarcerate people under oppressive, inhumane conditions for extended periods of time, solely for the use of free prison labor for profit – yet in the name of crime and punishment.

FAM has issued a “Freedom Bill,” which contains the demands that they are imposing upon the Alabama Legislature to correct the problem of mass incarceration and prison slavery in Alabama.

Free Alabama Movement

To assist FAM and their national freedom movement and to support the people on the inside who are making these sacrifices, please donate to [email protected] today.

To reach the Free Alabama Movement, contact FAM National Representative Pastor Kenneth S. Glasgow, The Ordinary People’s Society, at [email protected] or 334-791-2433, or contact Mothers and FAMilies, Inc., P.O. Box 186, New Market, AL 35761, Executive Board Members Ms. Antonia Brooks, Ms. Dara Folden and Ms. LaTosha Scott at 256-203-4371.