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Committee to End the Marion Lockdown

The Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML) was a movement organization that opposed control unit prisons in particular, and racism and oppression in general. It was founded in 1985 and came to a close in 2000. Over the course of those 15 years, CEML led and organized hundreds of educational programs and demonstrations in many parts of the country and tried to build a national movement against “end-of-the-line” prisons. Along the way the Committee wrote thousands of pages of educational and agitational literature and pioneered new ways of analyzing and fighting against this national quagmire that morphed into the proliferation of the “prison industrial complex.”

Collection includes: Publications on their efforts to shut down the Marion Prison control unit, prevent the opening of USP Florence, CO; protests against toxic water at Crab Orchard Lake; efforts to improve conditions for inmates; efforts to stop the proliferation of Control Units in general; and further human rights and social justice in the US prison system.

Kurshan, N. (2012). OUT OF CONTROL: A Chronological Narrative of the Committee to End the Marion Lockdown's 15 Year Struggle (manuscript ed., p. 1).

Documents

A Proposal for How to End the Fiscal Crisis in the Schools A Proposal for How to End the Fiscal Crisis in the Schools
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1993Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Flyer arguing for a halt to prison expansion proposed by Governor Jim Edgar's 1993 budget proposal.
Flyer Advertising No Supermax Prison T-Shirts Flyer Advertising No Supermax Prison T-Shirts
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1993Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
What if You Live in a State That Was So IL. That Headlines Like These Appeared? What if You Live in a State That Was So IL. That Headlines Like These Appeared?
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1993Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Appeal to write Governor Edgar regarding building of a Supermax in Illinois
Rally and Demonstrate Against Torture Shut Down MCC Westville No Control Units Rally and Demonstrate Against Torture Shut Down MCC Westville No Control Units
Publisher: Human Rights Coalition of Indiana; National committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War; Rethinking Prisons; Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1992Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Advertises demonstration on 7/11/1992 at Valparaiso, IN.
Protest the Proliferation of Control Unit Prisons! Shut Them All Down! Join the Bus & Car Caravan to the gates of Three Prisons Protest the Proliferation of Control Unit Prisons! Shut Them All Down! Join the Bus & Car Caravan to the gates of Three Prisons
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War; Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1992Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Advertises demonstration at USP Dwight, Menard, and Marion.
Prisons are About Racism Prisons are About Racism
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1992Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Flyer for 4/26/1992 forum on racism in the US prison system.
Allegation of ill-treatment in Marion Prison, Illinois, USA Allegation of ill-treatment in Marion Prison, Illinois, USA
Publisher: Amnesty InternationalYear: 1991Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Also known as: Amnesty International Report on Marion written 1987, produced 1988 and reproduced by CEML 1991 . Allegations of ill-treatment guards towards prisoners of Marion penitentiary. Includes 1) Report on Prisoners' lawsuit against Marion Prison, Illinois, USA / David Matas. 1/1986. 2) Letter to Dir. Norman Carlson from Jose Zalaquett for A.I. Secretary General inquiring into an official investigation. 3/22/1984. 4) Letter to Jose Zalaquett from Carlson asserting no further investigation was needed. 4/3/1984. 5) Letter to Carlson from Clayton Yeo citing Matas' report and A.I. recommendation for a full, impartial investigation. 12/30/1986. 6) Response Carlson referencing modifications of prison procedures and pending litigation before U.S.D.C Southern District, IL. 2/4/1987. 7) Further response to Yeo Carlson. 2/27/1987. 8) Response from Yeo stating inadequacies of the litigation. 3/20/1987. Part of packet (Enclosure 1).
Fact Sheet on the Toxic Water at Marion Prison Fact Sheet on the Toxic Water at Marion Prison
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1990Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Crab Orchard water issue at Marion. Advertisement for demonstration on 5/3-5/5
A Call for Action A Call for Action
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1990Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Advertizes the Marion lockdown seventh anniversary conference and rally against proposed USP Florence. Includes schedule of events.
Stop the Brutality at Marion Prison! No More Contaminated Water! End the Lockdown! Stop the Brutality at Marion Prison! No More Contaminated Water! End the Lockdown!
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown; National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1990Format: FlyerCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Advertisement for demonstration on 5/3