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58-401: On November 17, 1970, the idea for a prisoners union was born at a press conference held by former prisoners in support of the 1970 Folsom Prison strike . Its constitution argued that prisoners were an enslaved social class with the right to collective struggle for better conditions: We the convicts and our people imprisoned or at large throughout the state of California are being subjected to

116-402: A hospital after corrections officers discharged firearms during a riot involving 200 inmates. None of the inmates' injuries were life-threatening, and no corrections officers were injured during the incident. On Wednesday, September 19, 2012, a fight erupted in one of the yards, shortly after 11:00 am. No prison staffers are believed injured and the fight was eventually broken up by

174-455: A plaster of Paris face, to fool the guards until late the next day. This, according to the Warden, was seen in his bed and deceived the guards until general lock-up. An inmate, Carl Reese, tried to escape in 1932 using a diving suit fashioned from a football bladder, a goggle lens, and other scrounged materials. According to Floyd Davis, a prison guard of 13 years who continued to volunteer at

232-591: A Second Language, a literacy program, and computer assisted instruction. In January 2013 the Folsom Women's Facility, a standalone section for women, opened. The northernmost women's prison in the CDCR, the facility has space for 403 women. As of 2013, 25% of the women were Hispanic. The prison houses low-risk prisoners. Folsom was one of the first maximum-security prisons in the United States. Prior to

290-576: A broader pattern of social control that disproportionately affected African American and other minority populations. The Folsom strike, in particular, highlighted grievances such as inadequate healthcare, racial discrimination, and inhumane living conditions, echoing demands made by other prison movements of the time. The manifesto produced by the inmates at Folsom outlined a series of demands aimed at reforming these injustices, such as improved medical services, access to legal counsel, and an end to racial segregation and forced labor. These demands were not only

348-504: A capacity of 1,800 inmates. They spent most of their time in the dark, behind solid boiler plate doors in stone cells measuring 4 by 8 ft (1.2 by 2.4 m) with 6-inch (15 cm) eye slots. Air holes were drilled into the cell doors in the 1940s, and the cell doors are still in use today. FSP was the first prison in the world to have electric power, which was provided by the first hydroelectric powerhouse in California. After

406-504: A continuous cycle of poverty, prison, parole and more poverty; the same cycle that prisoners the world over have endured since the first man was enslaved. It is more than a game of Crime and Punishment; it is a social condition of inequality and degradation that denies us the opportunity to rise up and pursue a dignified way of life as guaranteed by the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. Once convicted, forever doomed has been

464-625: A cooperative Union to be hereafter called the UNITED PRISONERS UNION. We believe the creation of this Union will enable us to put an end to injustice, protect the lives and interests of our people, gain our constitutional rights and free us of our bondage. In February 1971, the organization was created as the California Prisoners Union. By December 1971, the organization had 50 members, including both former prisoners and prison reform activists. The organization

522-520: A criminal defense attorney. 1970 Folsom Prison strike Martin Sousa, Inmate Sal Candelaria, Brown Berets Huey P. Newton, Black Panther Party Charles Garry, 3rd World Legal Defense Counsel The 1970 Folsom Prison strike was a significant event for U.S. prison reform and protest. During the strike, over 2,400 incarcerated individuals at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, California, initiated

580-625: A manhole and crawled 750 feet through the pitch black drain. Either Godwin's wife or his accomplice Karlic had left a raft that Godwin used to float down the river, following painted arrows on rocks that directed him where to go. In June 1987, Karlic was arrested in Hesperia, California , and convicted for aiding Godwin's escape. In January 1988, Shelly Godwin was classified as a federal fugitive for her role in her husband's escape. The FBI captured her in Dallas, Texas , on February 7, 1990. Godwin

638-558: A planned strike at Folsom State Prison set for November 3. Martin Sousa, the strike’s main organizer, worked in the prison print shop, where he printed copies of the demands and manifesto. Sousa then sent copies to the Prison Law Project and the Coordinating Council of Prisoner Organizations, both Bay Area activist groups. Fueled by outside support and media coverage from both local radio and television stations,

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696-499: A prison sentence. In 2018, the El Dorado Hills Genealogical Society started the process of researching and trying to determine which unmarked grave stone belonged to whom; the grave stones originally had only numbers and they were updated to have names as well. California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) program includes administration , a Braille enterprise, a license plate factory where

754-504: A reflection of the immediate needs of the inmates but also connected to the larger civil rights movement's calls for justice and equality. The Folsom strike set a precedent for future uprisings within the prison system, influencing subsequent movements and discussions around prison reform and racial justice.The historical context of the Folsom Prison strike underscores the enduring connection between incarcerated individuals’ rights and

812-507: A toilet, sink, bunks, and storage space for inmate possessions. Prison facilities also include two dining halls, a large central prison exercise yard, and two smaller exercise yards. The visiting room includes an attached patio as well as space for non-contact visits. As of April 30, 2020, FSP's men's facilities were incarcerating people at 130.4% of design capacity, with 2,694 occupants, and FSP's women's facilities were incarcerating people at 68.5% of design capacity, with 276 occupants. FSP

870-598: A violent altercation, killing fourteen including an unarmed prison guard and inmate George Baker. Convicted burglar Roy “the Rat” Stokes was charged with first degree murder, and hanged on January 3, 1930. Both Stokes and Baker are buried in the Folsom Prison Cemetery. On June 16, Matthew Harris, a Los Angeles robber, escaped from Folsom by making a lifelike dummy. The dummy was cleverly made to look real enough with Abbott's own hair, that of his cellmate, and

928-484: A work stoppage and hunger strike. The strike began on November 3, 1970, and lasted 19 days. The strike was organized to address various grievances, including racial discrimination, inadequate medical care, overcrowding and labor conditions. Prisoners from different backgrounds, including members of the Black Panther Party and Brown Berets, participated, helping the strike gain attention nationwide. The strike

986-593: Is California's second-oldest prison, long known for its harsh conditions in the decades following the California Gold Rush . Although FSP now houses primarily medium security prisoners, it was one of America's first maximum-security prisons . Construction of the facility began in 1857 on the site of the Stony Bar mining camp along the American River . The prison officially opened in 1880 with

1044-690: The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Patty Hearst and demanded that the Hearst family distribute $ 400 million in food aid. The Hearsts funded a Seattle organization, People in Need (PIN), which worked with UPU, the American Indian Movement , and other organizations to distribute food. On June 2, 1975, Popeye Jackson was shot dead by a member of the radical underground Tribal Thumb organization. After Popeye's death,

1102-537: The right to counsel of the prisoner's own choosing; a minimum wage and other labor rights ; and many other prisoners' rights . Although UPU's constitution used the language of class, and opposed capitalism , it largely eschewed the Marxist-Leninist and Maoist language of other radical California organizations, which would later fracture the organization. In 1971, the organization claimed 3,000 members, 1/3 of which were current prisoners. Over time,

1160-594: The 1970s and 1980s violence at Folsom peaked, when the Mexican Mafia , Black Guerrilla Family and other prison gangs made prisons increasingly dangerous. The establishment of Secure Housing Units , first at California State Prison, Sacramento , and later at Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, and California State Prison, Corcoran , did much to control gang-related violence. On August 27, 2010, seven federal inmates at Folsom were admitted to

1218-647: The 50th anniversary of Cash's groundbreaking concert, the Sinaloa, Mexico norteño band Los Tigres del Norte performed for both male and female inmates at FSP. The performances were filmed as part of a Netflix special, and was released in September 2019. FSP has been the location of a number of feature films, including The Work , Riot in Cell Block 11 , Convicts 4 , American Me , The Jericho Mile , Another 48 Hrs. , Diggstown , parts of Walk

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1276-498: The Folsom strike continues to resonate in contemporary debates over prison conditions and systemic racism, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the humanity and rights of all individuals within the justice system. The 1970 Folsom Prison strike was a significant event in the context of prison reform movements in the United States, emerging during a time of heightened civil rights activism. Incarcerated individuals, particularly from marginalized communities, began organizing to address

1334-678: The Line (a biographical film of Johnny Cash ), and Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison . FSP is referenced during the 1995 film Heat . It is suggested as being the home of Neil McCauley, the movie's main protagonist for seven years. A majority of the other accompanying crew members are said to have met and spent time in the facility. On the M-5 freeway in Farmington Hills, MI , two service drives – named Folsom and Freedom – are adjacent to

1392-564: The State Prison post office because of its proximity to a dam on the American River that was under construction at the time. The dam was replaced in 1955 by the Folsom Dam . The facility includes five housing units within the secure perimeter, including the original two-tiered structure. Unit 1 is the most populous cellblock in the United States, with a capacity of nearly 1,200 inmates on four five-tiered sections. All cells include

1450-487: The Supreme Court ruled against PU's lawsuit to establish local PU union offices in prisons where they had a large membership. UPU published Anvil from 1971 to 76 and The Outlaw from 1974 to 77. PRU published The California Prisoner from 1989 to 96. In 1991, The California Prisoner had a readership of 30,000. PRU became defunct in the early 1990s, when its key lawyer Paul Comiskey moved to private practice as

1508-609: The UPU as a white supremacist organization. As a result, the UPU split in two: The radical minority into the United Prisoners Union led by Popeye Jackson and the moderate majority into the Prisoners' Union (PU) headed by Willie Holder. In the mid-1970's, this shift toward revolutionary rhetoric and political violence by Bay Area groups resulted in a rapid decrease in outside support for prison support groups. In 1974,

1566-477: The UPU shifted away from work stoppages (strikes) in prisons and toward publicizing abuse, lobbying, and winning court cases. In 1972, as a result of one such case, UPU won the right to publish its Outlaw newspaper in San Quentin . In 1973, the UPU accused Popeye Jackson of stealing money from the organization. In response, he went to the union office with a gun and chased staff members around and denounced

1624-685: The UPU splinter quickly disintegrated, leaving only the PU, which would later be renamed the Prisoners Rights Union (PRU). In 1976, in Jones v. North Carolina Prisoners' Labor Union , the Supreme Court ruled that prisoners do not have the right under the 1st Amendment to form a union, claiming that prisoner unions might increase the likelihood of prison riots. In fact, empirical evidence suggested that prisoner unions like PRU often worked to stop riots and to stop intra-prisoner violence. In 1978,

1682-539: The broader fight for civil rights, illustrating how these movements intersect and inform one another. This California -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a United States prison is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Folsom State Prison Folsom California State Prison is a California State Prison in Folsom, California , United States, approximately 20 miles (32 km) northeast of

1740-502: The completion of its granite wall in the 1920s, the prison saw numerous escape attempts; the first occurred shortly after the first inmates arrived in the 1880s. Throughout Folsom's violent and bloody history, numerous riots and escape attempts have resulted in both inmate and staff deaths. In 1920, three convicts hijacked a prison train that was used to move materials and smashed it through a prison gate to escape. On Thanksgiving Day, November 24,1927, an attempted prison break resulted in

1798-487: The costs of housing prisoners "barely registered" in the state's budget. In 2009, Folsom was overcrowded, with 4,427 inmates. Around that year most of its prisoners who were released returned to prison after being released. Connected to the prison on a hillside above Folsom Dam is the Folsom Prison Burial Ground (or Folsom Prison Cemetery); a burial location for former inmates who died while serving

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1856-458: The demands raised in the manifesto continue to be points of discussion in the ongoing debate around prison reform and criminal justice. Topics such as overcrowding, racial disparities, and healthcare for inmates are still relevant concerns. While some of the reforms have been implemented since he demands were made, many of these issues remain central to prison reform advocacy efforts. In October 1970, Sacramento’s KXTV (Channel 10) first reported

1914-595: The eastbound and westbound sides respectively. Folsom Prison is mentioned in The Offspring 's 1998 song " Walla Walla ." However, the implied or mistaken location of Folsom is in Walla Walla, Washington , based on the song's lyrics. The series premiere of the Cartoon Network animated series Cow and Chicken , appropriately titled "Field Trip to Folsom Prison", sees the titular characters visiting

1972-524: The foundation of the state capitol building and much of the gravel used in the early construction of California's roads. California's vehicle license plates have been manufactured at FSP since 1947. In 1968, Johnny Cash played a concert at the prison. Each attending prisoner lived in his own cell and nearly all were in an education program or learning a trade. Most of the attending prisoners who were released did not return to prison after being released. Laura Sullivan of National Public Radio said that

2030-554: The inmates have been making California license plates since before the 1930s, maintenance, metal fabrication , a printing plant, and a sign shop. The Vocational Inmate Program referred to as Construction and Technical Education (CTE's) include welding, auto mechanics, electronics, electrical works, masonry, building-maintenance, plumbing, carpentry, roofing, Union Ironworkers, Sustainable Ecological Environmental Development (SEEDS), and office services. The Academic Inmate Program includes Adult Basic Education, High School/GED, English as

2088-413: The museum after his retirement, the inmate made only one mistake: he did not make his breathing tube long enough and ended up drowning in the power-house-mill pond. Guards had to drain the pond to recover the inmate's body. Approximately 40 inmates had been waiting to talk to Warden Clarence Larkin concerning upcoming parole hearings when seven of the inmates suddenly attacked him. As they took him into

2146-557: The one who had murdered Officer Hill, were executed in the gas chamber on December 2. Two others were executed on December 9, and the leader of the group was executed on December 16. Inmate Glen Stewart Godwin 's notable escape earned him a spot on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. In 1987, Godwin attempted to escape during his incarceration at Deuel Vocational Institute in Tracy, California , and he

2204-422: The outside world, through all categories of News Media, we are systematically restricted and punitively offended to isolation status when we insist on our human rights to the wisdom of awareness. " The Folsom Prison demands, as outlined in the manifesto, issued in 1970 outlined the key areas where the incarcerated individuals sought reform to the prison system. There were 31 demands listed in total. Many of

2262-470: The practice of society. We are the first to be accused and the last to be recognized. We are branded the lowest of all people: We the CONVICTED CLASS. The right to organize for protection and survival is an inalienable right which is guaranteed to all people regardless of their social, racial, religious, economic, or political condition. Therefore, we the CONVICTED CLASS have banded together to form

2320-442: The prison guards (using less-than-lethal force), but one inmate was shot and at least ten other inmates had stab or slash wounds, authorities stated (the inmates were treated at area hospitals). Singer Johnny Cash made FSP widely known to the outside world through his song " Folsom Prison Blues " (1955) – which narrated a fictional account of an outlaw's incarceration, and through the two live concerts he performed at FSP. The first

2378-453: The prison on January 13, 1968. These were recorded and released as a live album titled At Folsom Prison . He had written and recorded the song " Folsom Prison Blues " more than a decade earlier. Both FSP and California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC) share the mailing address: Represa, CA 95671. Represa (translated as " dam " from the Spanish language ) is the name given in 1892 to

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2436-491: The prison's Minimum Support Facility, and that the escape was discovered when the two failed to report to their work areas. Folsom State Prison correctional staff and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Office of Correctional Safety agents initiated escapee apprehension efforts. The CDCR, local law enforcement agencies, and the California Highway Patrol joined the search for

2494-466: The prisoners at the Folsom Prison refused to leave their cells for 19 days, becoming the longest prison strike in the U.S. The strike's notability has come from being nonviolent and the prisoners' unified stance despite their diverse political and racial backgrounds. The strike inspired a wave of prison reform movements across the country, most notably seen in the Attica Prison riot . The legacy of

2552-414: The shadow of a doubt that because of our posture as prisoners and branded characters as alleged criminals, the administrators and prison employees no longer consider or respect us as human beings, but rather as domesticated animals selected to do their bidding in slave labor and furnished as a personal whipping dog for their sadistic, psychopathic hate. In our efforts to intellectually expand in keeping with

2610-536: The state capital of Sacramento . It is one of 34 adult institutions operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation . Opened in 1880, Folsom is the state's second-oldest prison, after San Quentin , and the first in the United States to have electricity. Folsom was also one of the first maximum security prisons . It has been the execution site of 93 condemned prisoners. Musician Johnny Cash put on two live performances at

2668-473: The state of California took sole control of the death penalty in 1891, executions were held at Folsom and San Quentin . A total of 93 prisoners were hanged at FSP between December 13, 1895, and December 3, 1937. Subsequent executions were carried out in the gas chamber at San Quentin. Due to an incorrect record, it is often mistaken that there were 92 executions, but there were in fact 93. The prison's first hanging occurred on 13 December 1895 when Chen Hane

2726-494: The strike gained enough fire to last a historic 19 days. On November 17, 1970 outside support groups for the strike called a press conference. This formed the United Prisoners Union with the aid of Sousa. On November 22, Warden Craven broadcast a speech to the prisoners, offering them a chance to return to work, along with the consequences if they refused, thus ending the strike. During the strike almost all of

2784-452: The systemic injustices they faced within the prison system, drawing inspiration from the larger struggles for social justice and equality happening outside prison walls. This strike was influenced by a history of prison organizing that gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s, as activists recognized the connections between their confinement and the ongoing racial oppression prevalent in society. Many prisoners saw their experiences as reflective of

2842-516: The two men, who were apprehended in Inglewood, CA on November 22, 2010. Inmate Todd Willis walked away at about 8 A.M. from a minimum-security housing facility at the prison; five days later on October 31, 2017, an off-duty officer was driving through Rancho Cordova when she spotted him. Police were contacted and Willis was quickly apprehended. In 1937, Warden Clarence Larkin was stabbed during an escape attempt and died from his wounds. During

2900-412: The yard, other guards started firing. In the commotion that followed, Officer Harry Martin and Warden Larkin were both stabbed to death. Officer Martin died at the scene, and Warden Larkin died of his wounds five days later. The inmates involved in the attack were said to have attacked the Warden and the officer with shanks (prison-made knives). Also, a prison-made wooden imitation semiautomatic pistol

2958-401: Was "hanged by the neck until dead" at 10:00 am. The public was invited to witness the execution. In 1892 Hane was accused of murdering Lee Gong, even though a witness stated they saw Lee Sam shoot Gong; another said they thought Gong had been shot through a window while sitting at a desk. FSP industries include metal fabrication and a print shop, and the quarry at FSP provided granite for

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3016-517: Was arrested in Mexico in 1991 but escaped again from a prison in Guadalajara in September of that year and remains at large. Two minimum-security inmates, Jeffrey William Howard, 43, and Garrett Daniel Summet, 34, escaped from Folsom on October 19, 2010. Prison spokesman Lt. Anthony Gentile did not elaborate on the circumstances of how the men got away, only saying that the two men fled from

3074-406: Was declared the day prior to the 1970 California gubernatorial election , increasing public and political attention to the demands. The Folsom Prison manifesto, issued in 1970, outlined key areas where the incarcerated individuals sought reforms in the prison system. The organizing committee issued a manifesto, which reads in part: "We the inmates of Folsom Prison have grown to recognize beyond

3132-452: Was found; it was carved and meant for use in the attack. One of the seven inmates who attempted to escape was wanted for the murder of Officer James Hill, of the Marlow, Oklahoma Police Department, on April 20, 1931. Two of the escaping inmates were fatally shot during the incident. The remaining five were all sentenced to death and eventually executed in late 1938. Two suspects, including

3190-465: Was in 1966; the more famous, held on January 13, 1968 in the FSP cafeteria, was recorded as the album At Folsom Prison . Cash later said the FSP inmates "were the most enthusiastic audience I ever played." The "Folsom Prison Blues" single from that album was #1 on the country music chart for four weeks, and the album was on the top 200 pop album chart for 122 weeks. A 40th-anniversary tribute concert

3248-479: Was moved to the maximum-security Folsom State Prison. Authorities believe Godwin's wife, Shelly Rose Godwin, and his former cellmate in Deuel, Lorenz Karlic, helped to plan his successful escape from Folsom. A hacksaw and other tools had been smuggled into the prison for Godwin. On June 5, 1987, he cut a hole through fence wire and escaped into a storm drain that emptied into the American River . Godwin dropped through

3306-468: Was soon renamed the United Prisoners Union. In 1971, UPU published a "Bill of Rights", which declared that "We have been historically stereotyped as less than human, while in reality we possess the same needs, frailties, ambitions and dignity indigenous to all humans". The Bill of Rights demanded the abolishment of capital punishment ; the prosecution of all prison, jail, parole, and military personnel for crimes inflicted upon prisoners; due process of law;

3364-516: Was to take place in the same cafeteria at FSP on January 13, 2008, with a special appearance by Cash's original drummer W. S. "Fluke" Holland . The original plans were to stream the concert over the Internet, with four nonprofit groups underwriting the show and sharing in any proceeds from the show. However, a few days before the concert was to occur, it was canceled in a dispute over filming rights, media access, and security concerns. To celebrate

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