OXFORD, MS — VOX PRESS, a nonprofit arts organization based in Oxford, Mississippi, has released its latest collection of inmate writings, Unit 29: Writing from Parchman Prison (2024), a powerful anthology of essays, poetry, and artwork created by over 30 incarcerated individuals. The book, compiled over a span of three years, provides an unparalleled glimpse into the harsh realities of life inside Mississippi State Penitentiary’s Unit 29, the prison’s largest and most notorious unit.
The work serves as a chilling follow-up to the infamous 2019-2020 riots that captured national attention, offering readers a window into the profound emotional and physical aftermath of the violence that left Unit 29 in chaos. In stark, unflinching voices, the inmates of Parchman reflect on the brutality and neglect that have defined their incarceration. This raw portrayal of prison life, particularly in one of the country’s most high-profile, closed-off facilities, addresses a spectrum of human experiences—from trauma, violence, and neglect to religion, suicide, and survival.
The book represents the culmination of three years of VOX PRESS’s Prison Writes Initiative, a program designed to foster creative expression and provide opportunities for incarcerated individuals, particularly those who have never had the chance to write or create art before. The authors of Unit 29 are not seasoned writers, but rather individuals who have been given a rare chance to share their perspectives, many for the first time. Despite their limited access to educational resources, these inmates have produced harrowing narratives, each distinct in its portrayal of the prison system’s impact on their lives.
“We wanted to provide a platform for these voices—voices that are often marginalized and silenced. What you’ll find in this collection is not just a narrative of suffering, but of survival and self-expression,” said Louis Bourgeois, Executive Director of VOX PRESS and a longtime advocate for incarcerated individuals. Bourgeois, who has worked with prisoners for over two decades, began his creative writing classes at Parchman Prison nearly ten years ago. His dedication to the program is evident in the quality of writing and the unique perspectives offered in Unit 29.
The themes explored in the book are wide-ranging, with many writers grappling with religious faith, the harshness of confinement, the trauma of violence, and the constant threat of suicide. The physical and mental toll of life in Parchman is evident in every page. Yet, for all the suffering conveyed, there is also an undeniable sense of resilience. The contributors to this collection have found a way to express their experiences, often through vivid and poetic language that reflects both the darkness and flickers of hope that define their daily lives behind bars.
This project was not just about giving the incarcerated individuals a chance to express themselves. It was about offering them a rare and important opportunity to be heard. Most of the contributors had no formal training in writing or art before participating in the program, but their work in Unit 29 offers a raw, unvarnished perspective on life in one of the most infamous prison facilities in the United States. It is a testament to the power of art and the human spirit, even under the most oppressive of circumstances.
“Prison has a way of stripping people of their humanity, but the writing in this book restores it, one story at a time,” Bourgeois commented. “The fact that these men—some of whom had never put pen to paper before—are now able to convey their most intimate struggles, and in some cases, their dreams for the future, is a remarkable achievement.”
Unit 29: Writing from Parchman Prison is available for purchase at VOX Books (www.voxpress.org), on Amazon, and in select bookstores. The book is a pivotal work in the ongoing conversation about the United States’ prison system and its treatment of incarcerated individuals. It is also a rare opportunity to engage with firsthand accounts from within one of the most notorious facilities in the country.
For further information about the book or to support the Prison Writes Initiative, please visit www.voxpress.org.
About VOX PRESS: VOX PRESS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization based in Oxford, Mississippi. Since its inception in 2002, VOX PRESS has been dedicated to providing a platform for underrepresented voices in the literary and artistic world. Through its Prison Writes Initiative, the organization has fostered creative writing and artistic expression among incarcerated individuals, offering them the opportunity to share their stories with the world. VOX PRESS has published several volumes of writing from Mississippi inmates, creating an important dialogue about the conditions of the state’s prison system.
For press inquiries, contact: Louis Bourgeois, Executive Director
VOX PRESS
Phone: +16628168058
Email: louis-bourgeois@hotmail.com
Website: www.voxpress.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louis.bourgeois.39/
Unit 29: Writing from Parchman Prison is now available at www.voxpress.org, Amazon, and select bookstores.