Book Hack
Locking up Our OwnBy James Forman Jr

In a Nutshell

Locking Up Our Own traces the tragedy of mass incarceration in the United States from the perspective of a Washington, D.C. public defender who saw first-hand the way Black police, judges, politicians, and even leftwing activists contributed to the crisis.

Favorite Quote

When we ask ourselves how America became the world's greatest jailer, it is natural to focus on … national campaigns, federal legislation, executive orders from the Oval Office. But we should train our eyes, also, on … small choices, made daily, over time.

James Forman, Jr.

Introduction

When public defender James Forman, Jr. heard a Black judge begin a sentencing speech with an appeal to Dr. Martin Luther King, he winced, knowing a harsh sentence was coming.

Son of two leading figures of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, James Forman, Jr. has dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights.

In Locking Up Our Own, Forman uncovers key moments of Black history, from the community's fight for racial equality to the unfair imprisonment of millions of Black Americans.

Focusing on the politics of Washington D.C., one of America's Blackest and most liberal cities, Forman shows how the drug war, gun control, and mandatory minimums were all pushed from progressive circles.

Here are the 3 key insights from this Hack

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    The war on drugs, guns, and crimes were reasonable responses to the crimewave of the 1970s, but their consequences were disastrous
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