I Am Maroon: The True Story of an American Political Prisoner

by Russell Shoatz, Kanya D'Almeida Narrated by Avery Kidd Waddell, Kanya D'Almeida

Overview

*A cinematic memoir of justice and redemption that traces one man's tumultuous life from gang member to Black liberation leader to political prisoner.
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Russell Shoatz was a gang member in inner Philadelphia starting at age 11. But at 23, after hearing Malcolm X speak, his life changed course. Shoatz would become a lifelong crusader for justice, a soldier in the most militant units of the Black Liberation Army, and a community organizer who was constantly brushing up against the notorious Frank Rizzo and his police commandos in Philly. As the struggle for self-determination among Black communities intensified, Shoatz was convicted to life in prison following a coordinated attack on a park police station that left one guard dead.
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The prison walls, however, could not deter Shoatz's battle for personal and collective freedom. He escaped state prisons twice, making him a living legend, and endowed him with the moniker “Maroon,” once used to honor runaway slaves from plantations. He survived 22 years in solitary confinement, prompting an international campaign for his freedom. *
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I Am Maroon charts a life of dizzying intrigue and long struggle for liberation. With an unforgettable voice, Maroon reminds us that we too are capable of radical change, leaving us a blueprint for how we might dedicate our lives and minds to the ongoing fight for freedom.

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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

In tracing the social, political, and moral evolution of a truly extraordinary individual, I Am Maroon also attests to the ongoing maturation of a movement in which the vision of freedom becomes increasingly more expansive. The story of Russell Shoatz reveals that the quest for Black liberation demands disentanglement from its pernicious embrace of heteropatriarchy. It also reveals the ultimate kinship of all struggles for freedom.”
 —Angela Y. Davis, feminist activist, scholar, and author of many books, including Freedom Is a Constant Struggle

“An epic tale told with ferocity and nuance, wit and grace; a tale of freedom as much as a story of imprisonment.”
 —Leslie Jamison, New York Times–bestselling author of the Empathy Exams

“Shoatz lived his entire life trying to effect changes within the system! We honor him by imitating and acknowledging this.”
 —Robert H. King, last surviving member of the Angola Three

Product Details

BN ID:	2940190808742
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	09/03/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged