"Break De Chains of Legalized U.$. Slavery:" Zines as a Site of Feminist Resistance in Prisons, 1965-1980

Kathryn Donelson, University of Oklahoma

Prisoner activism was fostered through and publicized by zines, which have provided a rich history of prison activism for contemporary scholars. Women’s zines in particular captured the nuances of the reality of being an incarcerated woman. Incarcerated women’s activism is often overlooked in historical memory, as men’s activism takes the center stage. These women, cognizant of their unique situation, lobbied for different reforms that addressed their specific circumstances. In addition to physical punishment at the hands of male guards, women were more likely to face “sexual attacks,” “forced drugging,” and “the threat or reality of cutting off family visits.” Zines detail the firsthand experiences of the incarcerated and provide historians with a mechanism by which to recognize the progression of feminist movements, Black freedom movements, and prison reform activism, as well as a starting point for current and future prison reform. The circumstances of incarcerated women inspired many prisoners across the South to collaborate with one another through zines. They used zines to foster community, lobby those outside the prison’s walls, bring recognition to current events within prison, and protest. Zines functioned not only as a community-wide platform, but as a site of feminist resistance to prison conditions, capitalism, racism, and sexism within America’s incarceration system.

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 Presented in Session 192. Violence, Gender, and Criminalization