Who was Albert Woodfox? Angola 3 member held in solitary confinement for 43 years dies at 75

Albert Woodfox, who spent over four decades in solitary confinement, dies at 75. (Image via Facebook/Activist Deric Muhammad/Representative image via GettyImages)

Albert Woodfox, a former member of Black Panther Civil Rights, who spent 43 years in solitary confinement, died in a Louisiana jail aged 75 on Thursday, July 4. He has spent over four decades in one of the country's most brutal prisons, longer than any individual in US history.

Woodfox's death was made public on Thursday by his brother Michael Mable and longtime attorneys George Kendall and Carine Williams. They reported that he passed away due to coronavirus-related complications.

His family said in a statement:

“With heavy hearts, we write to share that our partner, brother, father, grandfather, and friend, Albert Woodfox, passed away this afternoon from complications caused by COVID-19."

They further added:

“Whatever you called him — Fox, Shaka, Cinque or any of his other endearing nicknames...please know that your care and compassion sustained Albert through his remarkable 75 years, and we are eternally grateful for that.”

---

Albert Woodfox formed a Black Panther party for discrimination against black prisoners

Albert Woodfox, who was born in New Orleans in 1947, was a member of the infamous Louisiana State Penitentiary's "Angola 3." The trio of male inmates included Robert King and Herman Wallace and was noted for their long periods of solitary confinement.

Woodfox was detained at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in 1965 on charges of armed robbery. Despite long-standing denials to the contrary, the former prisoners were found guilty of the 1972 slaying of correctional officer Brent Miller.

They were allegedly kept in isolation because their involvement with the Black Panther party might otherwise incite the wrath of other prisoners at the Angolan maximum-security prison farm.

The trio came up with the idea of establishing a Black Panther party within the prison. They utilized it as a form of protest against the segregation of inmates and chain gangs of black prisoners who were forced to pluck cotton from nearby fields for no money.

The Angola Three were also involved with the Black Panther Party inside the prison. Considering that, Amnesty International and other advocacy organizations believed they were the subject of mistreatment.

Albert Woodfox was tortured in a number of ways that included gassing and beatings as well as brutal and "needless" strip searches. He endured all of this for 43 while being imprisoned 23 hours a day each day in an 6-by-9-foot cell. Woodfox was released in 2016 on his 69th birthday.

Woodfox once described the treatment his has received in an interview with NPR's Scott Simon in 2019:

"Well, gas was a standard form of weapons that the security people used. So anytime you challenge inhumane treatment or you challenge unconstitutional conduct, they would gas you."

He continued:

"And depending on the severity of the confrontation, they would open up your cell, and they would come in and beat you down and then shackle you and bring you to the dungeon, and you probably would stay there a minimum of 10 days."

He concluded:

“We made a conscious decision that we would never be institutionalized. As the years went by, we made efforts to improve and motivate ourselves."

---

Albert Woodfox released a biography 'Solitary' in 2019

Based on multiple reports, along with King, Wallace, and other prisoners, Albert Woodfox studied law and history while incarcerated. Additionally, they planned rallies and strikes over issues including clothing, job hours, racial inequality, and sexual assault in jails.

He told sources a few years ago:

“They put me in a cell...for the sole purpose of breaking my spirit. Our cells were meant to be death chambers. We turned them into high schools, universities, debate halls, law schools.”

Woodfox later released a biography titled Solitary in 2019 that he co-wrote with his partner Leslie Georg and detailed his 23-hour daily confinement in a cramped 6-by-9-foot cell. The book was nominated for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

He said:

“I think what I went through has made me a better man, a better human being. I’ve been asked a lot: ‘What would I change in my life?’ And people are surprised when I say, ‘Absolutely nothing.’ ”

Albert Woodfox was a passionate public speaker and supporter of prison reform and racial justice during the brief period of his life when he lived outside of prison.

---

According to the American Friends Service Committee, more than 80,000 people of all age groups are still being held in solitary confinement in prisons across the country. The non-profit Penal Reform International says that the number has most likely increased significantly due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.