The 15 Minute Book Club · Alex Churchill, Matt Bone

History Hack: The Murder That Shook America’s Original Prison for Profit

May 1, 2024·39 min·3 clips

William Freeman was beaten so badly in prison he suffered a brain injury and lost his hearing.

Historian Robin Bernstein discusses her book 'Freeman's Challenge,' exploring the story of William Freeman, an Afro-native man wrongfully imprisoned in Auburn State Prison, America's first prison for profit. The episode delves into the brutal conditions he faced, his transformation into a murderer, and how his case exposed systemic issues that still affect the U.S. prison system today.

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