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Carceral Empire: a People's History of the Origin of Prison in the United States

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Carceral Empire: a People's History of the Origin of Prison in the United States Portland State University PDXScholar University Honors Theses University Honors College 5-22-2020 Carceral Empire: A People's History of the Origin of Prison in the United States Henea S. de Savy Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/honorstheses Part of the African American Studies Commons, and the United States History Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation de Savy, Henea S., "Carceral Empire: A People's History of the Origin of Prison in the United States" (2020). University Honors Theses. Paper 902. https://doi.org/10.15760/honors.924 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in University Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. THESIS APPROVAL The thesis of Henea de Savy for the Bachelor of Arts with Honors in History was presented May 20, 2020, and accepted by the thesis committee and the department. COMMITTEE APPROVALS: _____________________________________________ Jennifer Tappan, Advisor _____________________________________________ Margot Minardi, Reader DEPARTMENT APPROVALS: _____________________________________________ John Ott, Chair History ABSTRACT Despite popular scholarship's conclusion that the American penitentiary had humanitarian origins, focusing on the relationship between the prison and both American Indian nations and black communities reveals its deep and previously ignored connection to slavery and imperialism, both domestic and global. Since black civilians were an intentional subject of the first prisons, American penologists looked to plantation carcerality for inspiration. As America began to envision its imperial expansion across the continent and controlling colonies abroad, the young Empire shifted its strategy from military violence to carceral control and legal colonialism. At the same time, prisons across the ‘free’ North engaged in a superlegal trafficking of their black prisoners into Southern slavery under the authority of the 1793 Fugitive Slave Act, even though many prisoners were known to be free. Greater police presence and increased prisons served to maintain the local and federal governments’ racial control through an Economy of Tenuous Freedom - the State holding black freedom captive to prevent struggles for liberation, civil rights, and political power. Nevertheless, the 1830s saw a widespread mobilization of black anti-carceral activism under the leadership of the working-class black community and a leader willing to fight for freedom at any cost. CARCERAL EMPIRE: A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF PRISON IN THE UNITED STATES by HENEA de SAVY A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of BACHELOR OF ARTS WITH HONORS in HISTORY Portland State University 2020 For Byron White, my Liberation Literacy family, and everyone who has ever been victim to this system that justifies cages and cages justice. May the light you hold be shared with the world. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The fact that the land, labor, and life of the Chinook, Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Tualatin, Kalapuya, and Molalla people was brutally taken to establish the city and college where I was educated is not something I take for granted, nor is something I can reconcile as a “privilege” but as a tragic legacy of power. In this thesis and in my life, I hope to use that power to support the resistance of those most disenfranchised by colonialism and structural racism, resilience which has existed since long before this country was founded and will continue long after its collapse to lead us as peoples toward justice and healing. Also, this project is not nearly complete. Nor will it be for a long while. That being said, it is the product of a great amount of time, conversation, and collective input, having occupied some part of my heart and mind for at least the last seven years. It has changed in small ways as it has in more fundamental ones, and over time it has grown, shrunk, been completely lost (which sucked haha) and started over, and matured. I cannot begin to say that this is my thesis alone as countless teachers, authors, friends, and family have shaped my thinking and offered incredible advice and ideas along the way, as well as shared life with me and shaped me spiritually. The list is far too long to give my full gratitude and praise, and to every person who has passed through my life, thank you. :) That being said, I believe there is power in recognizing people by name. To the two people who have been my biggest supporters since I floated around in the womb, who I look to constantly for hope, for strength, both in the process of this work and in life...who either have been my editor-in-chief on this thesis (and every paper since elementary school) or my go-to shoulder to cry on and feel utterly safe and protected... To my two favorite people in the world, Emma and Fredrik. I love you to the moon and back. To mamma and pappa, my two other favorite people who have given me a heart for the world and moved me to be a teacher. Every day I feel blessed beyond measure to have been born into this family of constant and consistent love and encouragement. Everything I am I owe to you. Till mormor och morfar, ni har alltid varit där för mig. Era böner, er kärlek, och ert stöd är det bästa som finns. Inget jag kan säga vore tack nog. To my grandparents Charles and Lourdes, from driving me around as a child and saying Bah Humbug to houses with no Christmas lights, to financing so much of my education, your generosity and support is the only reason I have come so far in my schooling. Thank you; maraming salamat. And to my paternal grand-mère Brigitte who I only had the blessing of meeting as a baby, but whom I have slowly been getting to know through memories, recipes, and quirky videos. Merci beaucoup beaucoup beaucoup. And to Juliette and David, it was the weeks I spent in your basement that kept my feet to the fire and helped me finish. To my fearless thesis advisor Dr. Jennifer Tappan, who somehow managed to help and encourage me time and time again when I felt stuck. I cannot see myself finishing this project without you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Many, many other professors have patiently poured into me outside of class and given their time and energy when they didn’t have to. I want to especially thank Margot Minardi and Derrais Carter for reading through dozens (if not hundreds) of pages of my thesis drafts even though I was not at the time a student at either of your schools. Also to Reiko Hillyer, miishen Carpentier, Anoop Mirpuri, and Garrett Felber, you each have inspired me with brilliance, passion, and your extreme generosity. Thank you to Angie Beringer, the librarian at Reed who went far beyond the call of duty and spent hours helping me track down people in history who seemed lost to time. For my teachers in middle school and high school: Kelly Locklin, who taught me to question dominant narratives in history (and who I hope will be proud of the length of this thesis despite frequently encouraging me that “sometimes, less is more”); Sooz Stahl, who fueled that desire to question perspectives of power; and Brian Reardon, who nourished my love of writing. Thank you, thank you, and more. To the people who have showered love over me and become family: Stasia, Genevieve, Amelea, Celebrity, Flozzie, Modi, Emmanuel, Dean, and Dan...the moment I first came to Reed I realized that I had stumbled into a tiny piece of heaven. My heart yearns for our late night talks, for the wild adventures, and long roadtrips, and a part of me wishes I could have paused time. But by sharing life with me you have made me who I am, and I cannot help but carry you all with me always. For Nico, whose years in my life were all too short, I hope heaven is as beautiful a place as you made for all of us around you. To Lucía, Jess, Hayfa, and Meaza, my loves. You are more than I deserve. To Alystair, Kevin, Nikki, Kaylee, Eden, and June - you all became my home, especially nearing the end of my time at Reed. Each of you, too, helped and encouraged me in really difficult times, and I thank God for you. And to my other best friends who I met outside of school - Byron Walker, Mars, Connor. Each of you has challenged me in the way I move about in the world. I think the world of you. For everyone in Lib Lit, too many to name: I have never felt more motivated and hopeful about making change in this weary world than when I am with you. You have transformed my thinking and my heart, and you will transform the world. I look forward to a life with so many of you in it. Especially Shane, who has been through hell and back with me but also been there when no one else would, I love you. And finally, to the Creator God, who like a mother bear fights tirelessly for Her children targeted by systems of oppression. You have taught me to love, to wonder, and to simply be. May justice roll down like the waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS (In Order of Appearance) BPDS Boston Prison Discipline Society ACS American Colonization Society AASS American Anti-Slavery Society NYCV New York Committee of Vigilance BPP Black Panther Party for Self-Defense TABLE OF CONTENTS Explanation of Terms ………………………………………………………………………..i Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………….1 Chapter 1 - The Modern Prison as a Racial Capitalist Invention
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