American Prison Writing Archive

01/14/2026

Did you receive the APWA’s 2026 winter newsletter? Don’t miss out on updates about our growing team, inaugural fellows, writing activations and more! Check out the link in our bio to subscribe to future newsletters and stay up to date on the latest APWA developments and exceptional pieces from within the Archive.

08/04/2025

Join our team!
Link in bio

07/09/2025

APWA is looking for two Administrative Coordinators! The application is now live (link above and in our bio)

07/09/2025

APWA is looking for two Administrative Coordinators! Applications are now live (link above and in bio)

06/11/2025

04/30/2025

What is an archive? Take a look at our post to learn more!

10/18/2023

The American Prison Writing Archive's Fall Newsletter is here! -

The American Prison Writing Archive is a growing archive of firsthand, written accounts of the carceral system by incarcerated writers, teachers, and volunteers.

05/17/2023

The power of "A soup" inside. What's your flavor?
Read more of The Wordist Wam's poetry about navigating daily life in prison.

https://prisonwitness.org/the-archive/?author_id=7650

04/19/2023

Willie Worley Jr urges readers to advocate for the safety and protection of incarcerated writers in his essay, “Writing on Prisons”
https://prisonwitness.org/apwa-essay/writing-on-prisons/

Mr. Worley contributed dozens of political essays and cartoons to the APWA while incarcerated. He is now free!

"Everyone is campaigning for prisoner writings to help shed light on one of the most cruelist dysfunctional processes known to man. Everyone wants to dictate advocate, but no one wants to report to the USDOJ Etc., that my prison correspondent is being attacked for reporting prison conditions."

To reporting human rights violations, visit https://t.co/zc4hvm0Mw5

To read more of Mr. Worley's writing and cartoons, visit https://prisonwitness.org/the-archive/?author_id=7392

And to explore more of his cartoons, visit http://realcostofprisons.org/comix/worley/

04/10/2023

04/10/2023

04/10/2023