Voices of Mass Incarceration: A Symposium will examine the history and impact of U.S. mass incarceration through scholarly analysis along with music, poetry, and reflection. Opening with a keynote discussion featuring Angela Y. Davis, Pam Africa, Julia Wright, and Johanna Fernández ’93, and moderated by Brown Professor Tricia Rose, the three-day symposium gathers together more than two dozen noted experts and artists working and studying incarceration and its wide-ranging effects on society. The second day of the symposium will also mark the opening of the Mumia Abu-Jamal papers for research at the John Hay Library with the launch of the exhibit Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Portrait of Mass Incarceration. This exhibition centers on the writing, music and art of Mumia Abu-Jamal, whose papers anchor the John Hay Library’s Voices of Mass Incarceration in the United States collection.

Performance of Mumia Abu-Jamal’s original music composition, “Vampire Nation,” by ensemble led by Marcus R. Grant A.M.’23, Ph.D.’27 – Professional drummer, percussionist, musicologist, and educator; with Camila Cortina, piano; Tyreek McDole, vocals; Kweku Aggrey, bass; and Leland Baker, saxophone