Blackmon brings to light one of the most shameful chapters in American history—an “Age of Neoslavery” that thrived from the aftermath of the Civil War through the dawn of World War II.Under laws enacted specifically to intimidate blacks, tens of thousands of African Americans were arbitrarily arrested, hit with outrageous fines, and charged for the costs of their own arrests. With no means to pay these ostensible “debts,” prisoners were sold as forced laborers to coal mines, lumber camps, brickyards, railroads, quarries, and farm plantations. Thousands of other African Americans were simply seized by southern landowners and compelled into years of involuntary servitude. Government officials leased falsely imprisoned blacks to small-town entrepreneurs, provincial farmers, and dozens of corporations—including U.S. Steel—looking for cheap and abundant labor. Armies of “free” black men labored without compensation, were repeatedly bought and sold, and were forced through beatings and physical torture to do the bidding of white masters for decades after the official abolition of American slavery.The neoslavery system exploited legal loopholes and federal policies that discouraged prosecution of whites for continuing to hold black workers against their wills. As it poured millions of dollars into southern government treasuries, the new slavery also became a key instrument in the terrorization of African Americans seeking full participation in the U.S. political system.Based on a vast record of original documents and personal narratives, Slavery by Another Name unearths the lost stories of slaves and their descendants who journeyed into freedom after the Emancipation Proclamation and then back into the shadow of involuntary servitude. It also reveals the stories of those who fought unsuccessfully against the re-emergence of human labor trafficking, the modern companies that profited most from neoslavery, and the system’s final demise in the 1940s, partly due to fears of enemy propaganda about American racial abuse at the beginning of World War II.Slavery by Another Name is a moving, sobering account of a little-known crime against African Americans, and the insidious legacy of racism that reverberates today.

    Professor, journalist, and founder of the Prison-to-College-Pipeline, Dreisinger looks into the human stories of incarcerated men and women and those who imprison them, creating a view of a world to which most are denied access, and a rethinking of one of America’s most far-reaching global exports: the modern prison complex.From serving as a restorative justice facilitator in a notorious South African prison and working with genocide survivors in Rwanda, to launching a creative writing class in an overcrowded Ugandan prison and coordinating a drama workshop for women prisoners in Thailand, Dreisinger examines the world behind bars with equal parts empathy and intellect. She journeys to Jamaica to visit a prison music program, to Singapore to learn about approaches to prisoner reentry, to Australia to grapple with the bottom line of private prisons, to a federal supermax in Brazil to confront the horrors of solitary confinement, and finally to the so-called model prisons of Norway. Incarceration Nations concludes with climactic lessons about the past, present, and future of justice.

    As a result, our country has generally worked to keep the military out of law enforcement. But according to investigative reporter Radley Balko, over the last several decades, America’s cops have increasingly come to resemble ground troops. The consequences have been dire: the home is no longer a place of sanctuary, the Fourth Amendment has been gutted, and police today have been conditioned to see the citizens they serve as an other—an enemy.Today’s armored-up policemen are a far cry from the constables of early America. The unrest of the 1960s brought about the invention of the SWAT unit—which in turn led to the debut of military tactics in the ranks of police officers. Nixon’s War on Drugs, Reagan’s War on Poverty, Clinton’s COPS program, the post–9/11 security state under Bush and Obama: by degrees, each of these innovations expanded and empowered police forces, always at the expense of civil liberties. And these are just four among a slew of reckless programs.In Rise of the Warrior Cop, Balko shows how politicians’ ill-considered policies and relentless declarations of war against vague enemies like crime, drugs, and terror have blurred the distinction between cop and soldier. His fascinating, frightening narrative shows how over a generation, a creeping battlefield mentality has isolated and alienated American police officers and put them on a collision course with the values of a free society.

    Amid growing awareness of police violence, individual Black men including Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, and Freddie Gray have been the focus of most media-driven narratives. Yet Black women, Indigenous women, and other women of color also face daily police violence. Invisible No More places the individual stories of women and girls such as Sandra Bland, Dajerria Becton, Mya Hall, and Rekia Boyd into broader contexts, centering women of color within conversations around the twin epidemics of police violence and mass incarceration. Invisible No More also documents the evolution of a movement for justice for women of color targeted by police that has been building for decades, largely in the shadows of mainstream campaigns for racial justice and police accountability. Informed by twenty years of research and advocacy by Black lesbian immigrant and police-misconduct attorney Andrea Ritchie, this groundbreaking work demands a sea change in how police violence is understood by mainstream media, policymakers, academics, and the general public, as well as a radical rethinking of our visions of safety and the means we devote to achieving it."

    As the acclaim boss of the streets, he feels that respect is owed to him without a given. Those who can’t live by that, will have to feel his wrath. He is a hothead to say the very least. He gets what he wants and is respected by all. Well almost all. Purety “Pure” Candaberry, is the type of woman, who you’d imagine your son bringing home. She was smart, kind-hearted, beautiful and dedicated to whomever or whatever she chose to give that honor to. But, she had extended that courtesy to the wrong man. She’s awoken one night, to her panicked-stricken boyfriend urging her to get dress. She knows something is majorly wrong by the sweat beads that are awning his face. Instead of questioning it much, she does as told. Before they could make their escape, the front door is being knocked down. Getting to safety at the nick of time, Pure listens as her boyfriend of two years is murdered in cold blood. Like things couldn’t get any worse. She goes into labor at the worst possible time with their son. This one dreadful night, puts her in the crosshairs with the last person she thought she would ever have to deal with. Her now deceased boyfriend leaves behind a debt that is owed and must be settled. Find out what happens to a raging bull, when he cross paths with a matador.

    And it's well worth reading. In this unputdownable book you’ll take an unforgettable ride with the national bestselling author Tiece that's signed under Cole Hart Signature. Her writing is very clever, and this story is great. **Warning** This is not your typical Urban romance, dope boy, thug love, or kingpin savage book. Heart pounding. Drama filled. Love story Women's fiction. Annette Capone, the First Wife to the notorious Prophet Capone is starting to unravel since the loss of her son. All she wants is full custody of his daughter, Myanna to ease her pain and she'll play as dirty as need be to make this happen. But when all is said and done, how will this affect Myanna? Will Annette's devious schemes send the little ones emotions spiraling out of control? Myanna Capone is still grieving the loss of both her parents. For a five-year-old, she seems to be stronger than the average adult. However, it's going to be a long, heartfelt road to travel, but with support from within, will she learn to cope with it all? Elise has met the handsome Liam Deckard and is finally giving love another chance, but will it be everything she's ever dreamed of? Or, is it too good to be? An unexpected twist reveals a new beginning that may just be the thing she's needed to move forward in life. With the love of family and friends, will Dreya be able to keep Myanna safe in her care? Or, will she lose the last piece of her family that is actually helping her to keep everything under control? Find out what happens through the ups and downs, and the trials and tribulations in the third installment of The First Wife..

    After having her daughter at the tender age of 18, her father tried forcing her into marrying her high school sweetheart Ahmod. Ten years later Ahmod is not as sweet as he once was in high school. Shy is very close to her mother and sister but she keeps certain things from them to keep peace in her home and family life. With her father standards so high for his daughters she tends to just hide from the world until she feels that she is worthy enough to be a preacher’s kid. From her father’s rejection and the rejection of Ahmod, she finally finds the courage to leave him and run into the arms of another man. Ahmod wants his cake and eat it too. With two women in his pocket he feels like he would never get caught. When both of the women leave him, he becomes lost. Once Ahmod finds out Shy is fully done with him he tries his best to run back but is it too late? Ahmod doesn’t think so until it’s really too late.

    When Jocelyn throws the idea out there that they should start an exotic maid service, they jump on it. The business takes off with a boom and pretty soon, they’re no longer depending on the government for anything. Instead, they all have a new set of problems. Jewel’s fifteen year old son, Jamal, is smoking marijuana. How can she tell him to stop using drugs when she’s addicted to pain pills herself? Daphne’s sixteen year old daughter, Shirrel, may be a lesbian. What can she do to help her daughter when she’s in denial about her own sexuality? Serena’s seventeen year old son could be on his way to becoming a teenaged father. She doesn’t know how to connect with the three children she already has. Will having a grandbaby make her change her ways? Jocelyn’s twelve year old daughter, Breanna, is sexually active. Has her promiscuous ways rubbed off on her child? These four ladies learn being food stamp bitches is just a state of mind. What’s most valuable and precious are family and true friendships.

    Although she’s had her share of downfalls, she continues to be the very best that she can be. Being hurt in the past by her ex-lover only gives her a reason to never love again, until she meets up with Hennessey.After five long years locked behind bars, Hennessey knows that being a drug dealer isn’t something he wants to continue to pursue to get his money up. So, instead he turns his dirty money into opening up furniture businesses. Meeting Keice only motivates him to want to go harder and do better, but that's something that his ex-girlfriend, Camille will not let him do if she's not included.Keice is already scared to love again. However, Hennessey is ready minus the ex-girlfriend issues. With their closest friends sharing this wild journey with them, what will the inevitable bring this unpredictable couple?

    When it feels like the universe is working against her, can Karter keep her head above water? Or, will her constant stress and worrying cost her and Dez the one thing they both so desire, a child? Dez’s first priority is always to protect his family, even when he’s not in the best position to do so. But, with a detective on his back with an ax to grind, can Dez stay a free man? Or, will he have to get his hands dirty one last time to show why he was the king to begin with? “You’ll never make it anywhere in life without a degree.” The words her father said to her still rang strong in Melodee’s ears, even eight years later. Setting out to prove her parents wrong, Melodee focuses on doing what she has to do to secure her future. But, will she allow Dame to step in help, or will her ‘I can do it myself’ attitude run him away? In this final installment, this crew is struggling to keep the family together. But, one thing about the Wright brothers, they always have some tricks up their sleeves, and for the women they love, they’ll paint the town red. Find out why Karter and Melodee are still in love with the King of Chicago.

    With each growing up on the infamous south side of Chicago without care or guidance from their family, they look to the streets for what they aren’t offered at home – mainly love. When they run into three wild boys with the same mentality and upbringings as them, it sets off a chain reaction of unexpected events that they may not exactly be ready for. The saying love will drive you insane rings true for the brothers Chase, Nature, and Banks. Growing up jumping from group home to group home caused these three boys to come together and claim one another as the only family that they have. Cold to the world and the obstacles that it brings, they simply do as they please and worry about the consequences later. When they run into three beautiful girls after moving into a new group home, they each find someone that they are willing to care about other than each other. The only issue is that the stubborn, self-sufficient girls that they want just won’t quite let them in so easily. What they all expected to be simply puppy love or good friendships grows into strong bonds and territorial behavior over the years. Some want more than the other can offer while others move on to new relationships all together. But when the men are fed up with the games, they decide to take what's rightfully theirs by giving the ladies the only thing they can offer them... love from a real gangsta.

    Brandy is a gold digger with a capital G! She doesn’t care whose man she sleeps with or goes after. Money was good and business was great until she decides to plot and scheme to set up the wrong person. Tip becomes pregnant, but by who? Her long time boyfriend or the Jamaican man who used to pimp her? Tracy is a good girl gone bad. She is head over heels in love with her first love. She doesn't know about his other life until its too late. Diamond is in love with her high school sweetheart and their relationship is great until she falls for someone else. When Brandy’s diary is found what will happen to their friendship? Will there friendship be able to stand through all the trials and tribulations life throws at them?

    Despite the bad cards life has dealt her, she’s trying to move on and live her best life while tackling college at the same time. Problem is, one of her lovers isn’t ready to let go. The king of Harlem, Carlos Mills aka Loso, is still the street’s finest. Now that everything on the block is running smoothly, he's finally ready to focus on his personal life and commit to his girlfriend, Amaya. He’s got it all figured out. They’re gonna get married, buy a new house and start a family. Everything is perfect until people start to show their true colors. After Remy’s boyfriend found out the truth about her and DC’s affair, she starts to uncover Sur’s secret life too. She wasn’t the only one with skeletons in her closet. But, as the old saying goes… Some lies can get you hurt. DC has now found himself in a love triangle that hits a lot closer to home than he thinks. Promise, his baby mother, isn’t the only woman who has gained a place in his heart. And if that’s not enough, imagine finding out that both of your women know each other almost better than they know you. As these couples embark on a journey of love, heartbreak, betrayal, and pain, they’ll find out that people and things are not always what they appear to be. The minute you think life is what it should be, those slithery snakes come out of hiding. Get ready to unfold all the drama in Diary of The Plug’s Daughter II.

    Locked-down drug treatment centers. House arrest. Mandated psychiatric treatment. Data-driven surveillance. Extended probation. These are some of the key alternatives held up as cost-effective substitutes for jails and prisons. But many of these so-called reforms actually widen the net, weaving in new strands of punishment and control, and bringing new populations, who would not otherwise have been subject to imprisonment, under physical control by the state.As mainstream public opinion has begun to turn against mass incarceration, political figures on both sides of the spectrum are pushing for reform. But—though they’re promoted as steps to confront high rates of imprisonment—many of these measures are transforming our homes and communities into prisons instead.In Prison by Any Other Name, activist journalists Maya Schenwar and Victoria Law reveal the way the kinder, gentler narrative of reform can obscure agendas of social control and challenge us to question the ways we replicate the status quo when pursuing change. A foreword by Michelle Alexander situates the book in the context of criminal justice reform conversations. Finally, the book offers a bolder vision for truly alternative justice practices.

    That saying holds true for Yasmeen Thomas, a successful beauty who thought that she had the perfect marriage to Kadeem. But Yasmeen soon learns that she’s married to a complete stranger. Now that her husband’s mask is off, Yasmeen is forced to make a decision, either accept who he is or start planning her future without him. Kadeem thought that he could he have his cake and eat it too, but what happens when his indiscretions catch up to him? Although he’s aware of his wrong doings Kadeem never prepared himself for the repercussions that he is bond to face. He’s forced to wonder if Yas will fight for their marriage or will she gain the courage to finally leave him after having enough? Sierra and Dominic were the ideal couple along with Yasmeen and Kadeem, but they’ll soon face issues that makes them question the foundation of their marriage as well as :trust. What happens when a blast from their past reappears, bringing drama to the happy couple? Will they remain strong or will the secrets break up a happy home? Lives are forever changed, trust is broken, and betrayals are at every turn as you follow on this journey of love. .