Stories from prisons, honoring loved ones

ABSTRACT A history class at the University of New Orleans did a project with prisoners at Louisiana State Penitentiary to help those incarcerated honor their loved ones who are deceased. Prison guards distributed templates created by teacher Ben Weber, asking for the name, location, and story about the person they wanted to honor. Prisoners wrote in and shared their experience and the class carried out their request, photographed the process, and then mailed the prisoner back a collage with the photos from their request being fulfilled. The project had a positive impact on both the prisoners and the students. The prisoners felt good that they could honor their loved ones with the help of others who care about their situation. The students gained perspective on the struggles incarcerated people face, including being separated from their loved ones.