This book is the answer to a lie. The lie is that there are no political prisoners in the United States. The truth, as reflected in these pages, is that US prisons hold almost 200 men and women jailed for their political acts. They are held because of their protests against racism, injustice, and imperialism. They come from almost every national and ethnic group. Some, like the former Black Panthers and Black Liberation Army militants, have been in jail almost as long as South Africa's Nelson Mandela before his release. Some were imprisoned for non-violent protests, some for armed actions; some were out-and-out framed. All share a profound commitment to resistance, and a deep belief in humanity. Their poems and stories, articles and art works eloquently expose the human truth behind the official lie.
