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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

CEML Ex-Prisoner Panel and Discussion CEML Ex-Prisoner Panel and Discussion
Date: 3/16/1990Call Number: PM 424Format: Cass A & BProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Former political prisoners talking about their struggles, cases and the cruel policies and procedures of control unit prisons.
Workshop #3 - Part 1 Workshop #3 - Part 1
Date: 10/1/1990Call Number: PM 425Format: Cass A & BProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
One of the first strategy sessions to organize resistance to the opening of USP Florence CO and to shut down all control units. Facilitated by Steve Whitman.
Workshop #3 - Part 2 Workshop #3 - Part 2
Date: 10/1/1990Call Number: PM 427Format: Cass A & BProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
One of the first strategy sessions to organize resistance to the opening of USP Florence CO and to shut down all control units. Facilitated by Steve Whitman.
Marion Evening Program - Part 1 Marion Evening Program - Part 1
Date: 10/1/1990Call Number: PM 426AFormat: Cass AProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Program includes speakers from American Indian Movement, and Safiya Bukhari-Alston, former member of the Black Liberation Movement speaking out against Marion Control Unit. Facilitated by Nancy Kurshan.
NPR Report on Lexington Control Unit NPR Report on Lexington Control Unit
Date: 10/1/1986Call Number: PM 430Format: CassetteProducers: National Public RadioCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Jacki Lyden reports on the lawsuit challenging the placement of Susan Rosenberg, Alejandrina Torres and Silvia Beraldini in the Lexington control unit, which resulted in Lexington's closure.
NPR Report on Marion Lockdown NPR Report on Marion Lockdown
Date: 10/1/1986Call Number: PM 435AFormat: Cass AProducers: National Public RadioCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Jacki Lydon reports on the 3rd year of the Marion lockdown. Describes conditions, who is imprisoned and why, and allegations of ill treatment and Human Rights violations. Includes interviews with administration and inmates. Transcript is available for download: http://www.freedomarchives.org/Documents/Finder/DOC3_scans/3.inside.marion.008.pdf
The History of Marion Prison The History of Marion Prison
Publisher: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
This video, created by the Committee to End the Marion Lockdown in 1988, serves to provide historical context around the opening of Marion Prison in 1963.
Introduction to Marion Prison Introduction to Marion Prison
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
This video, created by the Committee to End the Marion Lockdown in 1988, provides an introduction to Marion Prison, located in Marion, Illinois. Marion was the first control unit prison in the United States and this video outlines what makes Marion a control unit prison, what daily life looks like for men incarcerated in Marion and the complete power of Marion's staff.
[File of materials from Yasutake delegation to D.C.] [File of materials from Yasutake delegation to D.C.]
Authors: Vicki Legion, S. Michael YasutakePublisher: Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience; Committee to End the Marion Lockdown; American Civil Liberties UnionYear: 1990Format: CompilationCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
File of collected materials pertaining to the Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience delegation to the Bureau of Prisons. Enclosures: Cover Page: Note to Steve Whitman from Vicki Legion; 4/19/1990 Letter to Dir. J. Michael Quinlan from Rev. S. Michael Yasutake; 5/1/1990 Press Release; 5/4/1990 Statement for Rally re: Federal Penitentiary Marion, Illinois; 5/4/1990 Letter to Dir. J. Michael Quinlan from Rev. S. Michael Yasutake; 5/18/1990 A Report on the Visit to the Bureau of Prisons and the DC Detention Center; 5/17/1990 Letter to Dir. J. Michael Quinlan from Rev. S. Michael Yasutake; Flewellen, Fine, Yasutake at Congressmen Kastenmeier's office (Graphic); Thornell and Flewellen delivering petitions to BOP; Photograph by D'Auteuil Robideau.
America's Toughest Prison America's Toughest Prison
Date: 3/18/1988Call Number: V 682Format: VHSProducers: Danny SchecterProgram: 20/20Collection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Tom Jerrell reports on the long term isolation of Marion Federal Penitentiary during the then 5 year lockdown that started in 1983 with the death of three prison guards. Includes interviews with political prisoner Timothy Blunk, Amnesty International representative David Matas and Warden Gary Henman.