Collection:LPB

Genre: Documentary

Place Covered: West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1980-02-25

Duration: 00:57:58

Subjects: Prisons | Louisiana State Penitentiary | Criminal justice, Administration of

Contributors:

• Barnes, David Narrator
• Wolf, Thom Producer
• Weyand, Marlene Writer
• Henderson, Murray Interviewee
• Dees, Hayden Interviewee
• Dixon, C.C. Interviewee
• Read, Brooks Speaker
• Carmouche, Walton Interviewee
• Cozart, Reed Speaker
• Lehmann, Bryan Speaker
• Maggio, Ross Interviewee
• Sinclair, Billy Interviewee
• Phelps, C. Paul Interviewee
• Waite, John Interviewee
• Blackburn, Frank Interviewee
• Rideau, Wilbert Interviewee
• Blome, Ron Moderator
• Force, Bob Panelist
• Carleton, Mark Panelist
• Phelps, C. Paul Panelist

This documentary from February 25, 1980, focuses on the gruesome history of the Louisiana State Penitentiary, better known as Angola, located in West Feliciana Parish. It includes interviews with: Murray Henderson, former warden; Hayden Dees, former associate warden; C.C. Dixon, retired captain; Walton Carmouche, Angola agribusiness; Ross Maggio, former warden; Billy Sinclair, co-editor of “The Angolite”; Secretary C. Paul Phelps of the Louisiana Department of Corrections; Dr. John Waite of Earl K. Long Hospital in Baton Rouge; Frank Blackburn, current warden; and Wilbert Rideau, co-editor of “The Angolite.” Following the documentary, Ron Blome leads a panel discussion with: Dr. Bob Force, law professor at Tulane University; Dr. Mark Carleton, Louisiana history professor at LSU; and Secretary C. Paul Phelps of the Louisiana Department of Corrections. They discuss: the history of Angola; the recent prison reforms mandated by a federal court order; and the future of Louisiana’s prison system. This program was preserved through the American Archive of Public Broadcasting’s Transcribe to Digitize Challenge, a partnership with George Blood LP.