The Ohio Library Council was able to obtain an exclusive interview with keynote speaker Shaka Senghor prior to his appearance at the 2016 Convention & Expo. Senghor is the leading voice on criminal justice reform and author of the New York Times bestseller Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison. He will close the 2016 Convention & Expo on Sept. 30 with an unforgettable session entitled, “Why Your Worst Deeds Don’t Define You.”

OLC: What piece of literature had the biggest impact on your life?

Senghor:  While I was in prison, I dreamt big. I was a voracious reader and books were my escape. I read everything I could get my hands on, from Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim to Malcolm X and Angela Davis.  When I first learned of Malcolm X, I didn’t rush right out and get his autobiography.  In fact, I would have never read it if I hadn’t picked up Donald Goines’s books first.  I had always had a love for reading, and it just so happened that Donald wrote about things that I could relate to.  He was from the ‘hood, and he had spent time in prison just like me.  His stories were raw and captured the essence of street life in Detroit. The more I read his stories, the more I wanted to read.  He was the first Black author that I read who reflected the world as I saw it.  Sadly, I exhausted his catalog too quickly.  The thirst to read more had been ignited; however, so I hit the prison library with a vengeance.  After hearing a brother rap about Malcolm X and Nat Turner, I wanted to learn about them.

When I read Malcolm’s autobiography, my world was turned upside down.  All of the negative things that I thought about myself and my people began dissipating.  I felt my spine straightening out as my spirit swelled with pride. I slowly began to eradicate the “nigga” in me and replaced it with the proud African that had been waiting inside to be claimed.  I started looking at my features with new eyes.  I marveled at my thick lips, realizing that they were the envy of the world. I began to take pride in the texture of my hair and embraced my intelligence.  I sought to learn more with each day, reading something positive and affirming about African people as I fought to subdue the negativity that had consumed a large part of my young life. I credit Malcolm X’s autobiography with opening up my eyes, and my mind, to a world beyond prison; my transformation really began there.

OLC:  Why did you write the book? Who did you write it for?

Senghor:  My story speaks to the experiences of many of today’s youth, many of whom are faced with circumstances similar to those I faced as a child—physical abuse, abandonment, addiction, and anger. I share my story so freely because I never want another young man or woman to carry the burden of taking someone else’s life.  My hope is that a young person, who may be headed down the same path that led me to prison, reads Writing My Wrongs, or hears about my story, and they see hope. I know that I am perfectly in tune with my purpose—I was destined to do the that work I do—and if I can save a child’s life by being so open about my story, then the pain of reliving those moments is worth it.

OLC:  Did you visit the public library when you were growing up? What was your opinion of it? Is it the same today or has it changed?

Senghor:  Growing up, I loved visiting my neighborhood library. I would go with friends to do research for school projects or check out books that piqued my interest. My old neighborhood has changed a lot since then (the crack epidemic hit that area hard), and I imagine so has the library. Many of the city’s libraries are outdated and uninviting.

OLC:  How can public libraries better serve at-risk youth? Are there any specific programs that you think libraries should put in place to help kids and teens?

Senghor:  Hosting author chats and readings with authors that are hot among that age group is important to making the library relevant beyond school projects. Urban literature is still very popular among teens and no matter what people think of the content, this genre gets them reading. I also think staying open later, particularly on the weekends, would attract teens and provide a safe alternative to the streets.  Community centers are doing more of this on Fridays and Saturdays and libraries have the potential to become neighborhood hubs where teens can hang out and connect with friends around books (e.g., book clubs) or use the computer, which many do not have at home.

Teen advisory groups would also be helpful.  These groups would give youth a voice in what books are acquired by the library, make suggestions for events and give feedback on proposed changes in library policies and procedures.

OLC:  How can public libraries help men and women re-enter society after incarceration?

Senghor: Train returning citizens on how to use email and the Internet, and how to write and submit resumes; host re-entry workshops covering education, housing and employment, and provide re-entry resources in the form of books, videos, etc.

OLC:  What books would you recommend to someone visiting the library?

Senghor: I would recommend the following…

The Autobiography of Malcom X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley	I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou	Soledad Brother by George Jackson
Assata by Assata Shajur	Dopefiend by Donald Goines	Cages of Steel, edited by Ward Churchill and J.J. Vander Wall
As a Man Thinketh by James Allen	The Republic by Plato	Angela Davis: An Autobiography by Angela Davis
Segu by Maryse Conde	The Prisoner’s Wife by Asha Bandele	Houses of Healing by Robin Casarjian
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander	Rebuild the Dream by Van Jones	How to be Black by Baratunde Thurston
The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh	Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman	Reach, edited by Ben Jealous and Trabian Shorters

Hear more from Senghor during his keynote address on Fri., Sept. 30 at the 2016 Convention & Expo in Sandusky. Registration is required. Learn more.