Stitching Freedom - by Gary Tyler (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

In the tradition of books by Albert Woodfox and Angela Davis comes the gripping memoir of a wrongful conviction and life on death row in Angola prison, showing how incarcerated people care for, protect, mentor, and teach each other.

In 1975, seventeen-year-old Gary Tyler was sent to Angola prison to die. A year earlier, he had been wrongfully charged with the killing of a white teenager and found guilty by an all-white jury, making Gary the youngest prisoner on death row in the country.

Following his conviction, Amnesty International and investigative reporters documented the brutal treatment, fabricated evidence, recanted testimony, and repeated injustices that led to his sentencing. Three times Gary was recommended for a pardon; three times Louisiana governors refused to accept the political risk. After more than four decades in prison, Tyler was released in 2016--but he was never exonerated.

This is not a story of mistaken identity or circumstantial evidence, but one of systemic injustice from an institution hard-wired into a legacy of slavery--in effect, this was a legal lynching. It is precisely this harsh reality that makes this memoir a remarkable celebration of life and justice, a story of pride, forgiveness, community, and triumph. With insight and heart, Gary shows how he learned to reject bitterness and survive with the help and mentorship from activists such Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace on the inside, and the relentless support from people on the outside. Stitching Freedom is the page-turning chance for Gary to reclaim his power and exonerate himself at last.

Review Quotes

"People have always wondered why Gary Tyler didn't become criminal, bitter, or insane. This riveting book shows why. He refused to let the system take his life, his spirit, his intelligence, his humanity. I watched Gary find mentors and then become one to many inmates. He became an actor, playwright, and director. He turned fabric into art. He eased the passage of dying men. He let nothing deter his march to justice, to freedom - and we are all the beneficiaries."
--Wilbert Rideau, former editor of The Angolite, award-winning author of In the Place of Justice

"Something in Gary Tyler's nature led him to become a man described by his attorney as 'a remarkable human being' who not only endured the torture and horror of a hell-hole designed to destroy human beings deemed 'lesser, ' but become a leader, a teacher, an artist, a man who was escorted to Angola's gate at discharge by the warden who said goodbye 'with tears in his eyes.' Stitching Freedom imbues one with hope for the human race."
--Mike Farrell, "BJ" from "M*A*S*H" and author of Just Call Me Mike

"In my life I have had the opportunity to speak up for five men who were wrongfully convicted and watch them walk out of prison. In each case, they have taught me something about what freedom means. Gary Tyler's account of his own experience is another lesson in freedom--one we sorely need in this moment."
--William J. Barber, II, author of White Poverty

"Stitching Freedom is both compelling and incisive in its ability to bring the reader in real close. This is not only a story of great courage and humility, but of an unparalleled patience fueled by a fiery zeal to NOT BE BROKEN by the conditions of institutional injustice. Gary Tyler had to live with his certain innocence and his commitment to freedom, methodically, one day at a time... for 15,180 days. His resilience was contagious."
--Kate Capshaw, Artist, Actor, and co-founder of the Hearthland Foundation

"As moving and important a book as I have read in eons. Tyler's struggle to hold onto his humanity and emerge battered but triumphant is a powerful story unto itself, but that's not why people should read this book. Tyler's journey urgently matters given the ways that dehumanizing prisoners and debasing constitutional due process have become a central feature of US politics. His story acts as a bracing condemnation of an administration off the rails; an administration that regularly mocks and debases those trapped in a deeply racist prison industrial complex. Tyler and his co-author Ellen Bravo have gifted us all a chance to look in the mirror. May we be brave enough to open our eyes."
--Dave Zirin, author of The Kaepernick Effect

"Some people do become extraordinary beings, but we are rarely witness to this alchemy. In Stitching Freedom Gary Tyler has offered us a record of such an evolution of consciousness. Having suffered monstrous cruelty, he has emerged as an astute and resilient person of deep empathy and creativity. His story is devastating but ultimately triumphant. And we are so fortunate that he has chosen to share it with us."
--Carol Becker, Dean Emerita of the Columbia School of Arts and author of George's Daughter

"Stitching Freedom arrives as a timely and heartfelt gift, offering strength and inspiration amid turbulent times. An anchor of hope and courage, Gary Tyler's story is not just one of injustice but a powerful testament to love, kindness, and the resilience of the human spirit. It demonstrates that truth and justice will ultimately prevail because even in darkness, the light always shines through."
--Jennifer Wu-Schwab, host of The Founder Spirit

About the Author

Gary Tyler is an artist and a spokesperson for justice. During his years in prison, Tyler galvanized a movement that grew to have national and international support, one of the precursors to today's abolition and Black Lives Matter movements. He was recently awarded the 2024 Frieze LA Impact Prize, which recognizes artists who use their talents and abilities to address social justice issues. Stitching Freedom is his first book.

Ellen Bravo's connection to Gary Tyler began in July 1976, when she marched with two thousand others in New Orleans demanding his freedom. A long-time activist, Bravo has written three nonfiction books about working women and two novels, Again and Again, about date rape and politics, and Standing Up: Tales of Struggle, about love and organizing. Among Bravo's many commendations are the Ford Foundation's Visionary Award and a Trailblazer award from the Ms. Foundation.