Victor Thomas, who is incarcerated at Fox Lake Correctional Institution, always has the maximum number of books he’s allowed at a given time.
That number is 25, and he is eager to discuss what he learns from his current stack of books with the people around him – correctional officers and fellow incarcerated people alike.
Thomas’ love of reading helped inspire the creation of Reading While Incarcerated, a series of book reviews by people who are incarcerated in Wisconsin.
Thomas is especially dedicated to learning history and how it shapes the present.
The book that ignited this passion is “Slavery: The African American Psychic Trauma” by Sultan A. Latif and Naimah Latif.
Thomas said that he was “shocked” after reading the book. He cautions people before reading it, asking them “to be free-thinking and to be ready. And to be objective.”
“There’s lots of things in there that you didn’t know, and it might strike a nerve and stir some emotions,” he added.
Listen to Thomas’ full review below:
Devin Blake is the criminal justice reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. His position is funded by the Public Welfare Foundation, which plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
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