Instrument of the State: A Century of Music in Louisiana's Angola Prison

Set in Louisiana's infamous Angola prison, this book explores the profound role of music within a brutal maximum-security environment. By blending oral histories with archival research, it reveals how inmates have harnessed music over 120 years as a means of expression and resilience. The narrative challenges traditional notions of "prison music," examining how these melodies reflect both the harsh realities of state power and the enduring fragments of hope and joy among the incarcerated.