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Jackson, Michigan was home to one of the largest prisons in the world – the Michigan State Prison, later renamed the State Prison of Southern Michigan.
We went on a tour of the old prison with Jackson Historic Prison Tours. While there we met some former prisoners and prison staff, and decided to follow up with them afterwards.
Listen to their powerful stories above.
For more on the current prison in Jackson, look up Lionel Stewart’s book, Quiet Blood, written while incarcerated in Jackson prison. It’s also on sale at the Arts Armory gift shop in the old Jackson prison.
Jean Becker Walsh’s book, There’s a Woman in Here!, about her experiences as the first female psychologist in an all-male prison, is also sold in the gift shop.
