Behind Bars Art

When looking up some details about Mr. Chester Himes life, I found out a lot more about the prison system it seemed. While in prison in 1928, at the age of 19, he started writing books while behind bars and become nationally known when he got on parole in 1936. But there was some trouble getting all his books out into the public. In 1930, police officers checked every inmates room looking for manuscripts and destroying them. Robert Stroud, another inmate writer, had to smuggle one of his books out into the public and he was severely punished! For writing a book!!! I mean Himes was sent to jail for 20-25 years, he needed something to pass the time. I think that all prisoners deserve the time they get, but if they can find something useful to do that would benefit other people, I don’t see the harm in that. Himes wrote a book Yesterday Will Make You Cry, and it was about his prison life I believe and it was destroyed by the prison guards. But in 1998, it was finally found and published, even though Himes had been long dead by then. I think it is incredible that after going through a lot as an African American during these times, he still managed to make a name for himself by doing something he loved and not letting anyone get in the way of him.

The link to this article is here!

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