The historic Eastern State Penitentiary is more than just a former prison-turned-museum and occasional haunted house: it’s also an educational center in Philadelphia for learning about criminal justice formula and mass incarceration. With its new virtual debate series, Justice 101, the organization is expanding its programming to the rest of the country.
Justice 101 comes from the Center of Justice Education at the historic site. The former prison has hosted exhibits, tours and educational programming about the modern-day justice system since 2012, starting with The Searchlight Series, monthly lectures that took place at the penitentiary.
From exhibitions like The Big Graph and events like Reentry Simulator, Eastern State has experimented with other formats. However, Justice 101 will take place virtually on Zoom. Sessions are flexible, but participants are asked to register on the Eastern State website.
“One thing that makes Justice 101 unique compared to other offerings is its nationwide reach,” said Kerry Sautner, president and CEO of the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site. “Because the program is being implemented virtually, we must bring in trained staff, speakers, and participants from all over the country. “
Friday, Jan. 19, will mark the start of the Justice 101 series, with a program titled “A Conversation on Civil Rights Movements in Prisons with Hasan Jeffries. “
Jeffries is a professor at Ohio State University, and Sautner will moderate the discussion. After a 30-minute dialogue, a Q&A consultation will allow participants to ask their own questions of the speaker. The program starts at 12 noon.
With this first program taking place the week of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the conversation between Jeffries and Sautner will focus on the “complexities of civil disobedience as a force for transformative social change.” Jeffries, who is the brother of U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, will touch on how civil disobedience and incarceration intertwine and speak on civil rights leaders who were imprisoned and incarcerated individuals who later became civil rights figures.
In addition to teaching, Jeffries hosts the Southern Poverty Law Center’s podcast “Teaching Hard History,” about classes not taught in school, ranging from slavery to the civil rights movement to Provision Day. He also starred in last year’s PBS documentary. “Fight the Power,” about the history of hip hop and how it reflects the reports of Black and Brown communities in the United States.
Subsequent programs, the Justice 101 series, will follow a similar format to the first session, with a special guest leading the moderated verbal exchange through a member of Eastern State. Those who can’t attend those live discussions can watch them later on Eastern State’s YouTube. channel.
For Sautner, the virtual format is key for accessibility. “Our intention is to provide national programming, and conducting Justice 101 virtually makes that feasible,” she said. “Justice 101 is designed to be accessible — it’s appropriate for learners of all ages; for systems-impacted people, those without any connection to the criminal legal system whatsoever, and everyone in between.”
As the series is brand-new, expect the site to test out different times, topics and attendance options as it continues.
For now, the Eastern State Penitentiary has systems scheduled through May of this year, with monthly systems then continuing through the end of the year and beyond. ” We have a really interesting lineup of Justice 101 systems coming this winter and spring, bringing together national experts for thought-provoking conversations about policing in America, women’s bars, forced hard labor in prison, and other issues facing the justice system,” Sautner said.
Multiple dates and times: