A Conversation with Robert Faruq Wideman

April 4, 2024

Dr. Jang asks Wideman questions.

For forty-four years, Robert Foruq Wideman was held in prison for an armed robbery gone wrong. Originally sentenced for life in prison without parole, his sentence changed when he went to court again and they determined his punishment was too harsh.On April 5th at 5:30 p.m., Wideman came to the Rose O'Neill Literary House to give a guest talk, sponsored by the English, anthropology, and sociology departments. Wideman found coping mechanisms through education and teaching, despite those things being an uphill battle to achieve in the prison system. He helped rehabilitate fellow prisoners and read excerpts from his memoir about the effects of race, grief, and more in the United States. After being released, Wideman worked with people who were unhoused or suffering from drug addiction to help them overcome their obstacles too.

Coverage by

Iris Scherr ‘25