https://hiddenhistoriesut.org/files/original/4f286d30cce4e9b2edb603890e7bec67.jpg 8d9c452fe49b29895c75366b84ef5c2b https://hiddenhistoriesut.org/files/original/74545aa5d16448862c127030e99ae893.jpg d78c431562d7211856d28af24702a902 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource What's Happening Newsletters: A Look into the Texas Death Row Community Subject The topic of the resource Death row community Capital punishment Art and written word within prison Anti-capital punishment movement ' Anti-death row movement Description An account of the resource All items in the collection are from the What's Happening newsletters, published by Texas inmates on death row in the early 1990s. Funded by the Endeavor Project, an anti-capital punishment reform group, the newsletters was initially meant to circle around the death row wing in the Ellis Correctional Unit, located in Huntsville, Texas. The newsletters focus on a variety of topics, including the following: nonviolent protests, religious appeals, legal advice, and calls for community action. Primary analysis of the newsletter reveals the depth and complexity of death row and its inmates, and shows evidence of a variety of people who live among death row. The newsletter also demonstrate the importance of written word within the prison community, and express that there is a well-educated and creative community behind the prison newsletter. While collection is not meant to be an argument against capital punishment, the collection does work to eliminate some of the bias against death row and its inmates. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource September 1991- August 1992 Language A language of the resource English Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Dolph Briscoe Center for American History Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource What's Happening newsletter staff Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Ellis Correctional Unit, Huntsville, Texas Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Endeavor Project Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This material is made available for education and research purposes only. The creator of this exhibit does not own the rights for these items; it cannot grant or deny permission to use this material. Copyright law protects unpublished as well as published materials. It is your responsibility to determine the rights status and secure whatever permission may be needed for the use of any item. Due to the nature of archival collections, rights information may be incomplete or out of date. We welcome updates or corrections. Upon request, we'll remove material from public view while we address a rights issue. Relation A related resource Box 2L149, Endeavor Folder 1, A Guide to the Texas Death Row Collections, [ca 1980s] -1995, The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin. Type The nature or genre of the resource Newsletters Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource What's Happening newsletter staff Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource What's Happening Texas Death Row Newsletter, Issue #2 Subject The topic of the resource Death row community Death row inmates Anti-death penalty movement Prisoners as journalists Prison literature Description An account of the resource This is the second issue of the What's Happening Newsletter, published in November 1991. The Coordinator for this issue is Joseph B. Nicholas Bey. Article titles and a short synopisis of the articles are listed below. Introduction A couple of sentances describing the purpose, and the intended role it serves within the community. The introduction lists Jopseph B. Nichols-Bey as the head coordinator, and appeals for other inmates to share their stories with newsletter. "An informed community is a strong community." Farewell The two following articles discuss the recent exution of James "Sugarman" Russell. The first article list how the execution played out, and the aftermath of the execution. Russell did not tell his other about his upcoming execution, and instead called and talked to her an hour before he was executed, telling her "everything is going to be alright". After the execution, Mrs. Russell became ill and was hospitalized. She underwent open heart surgery, and at the time of publication, was recovering. The article discusses how inmates can send a cart, and/or a cross to Mrs. Russel to "offer her moral support, and to wish her well". After publication, it was revealed Mrs. Russell died only moths after her sons's execution. The second article includes a farewell statement by James Russell, directed to the death row community. This statement was written the day before his execution: "If I don't get a stay by the 11th hour, in my heart I will close my eyes and take your love beyond this madness with me, where I'll build a more beautiful tower of love and compassion in the sky. So dont be sad, that after 17 years of struggling against the tide my little stream has been consumed by the sea, because we shall meet again and sing an ever sweeter song; so, my friends, farewell. I am ready. The state can not murder me anymore. I love you." Individual Updates The next two articles contain updates on the trial processes of two inmates on death row: Roger Leroy DeGarmo, and Johm Dee Matson Jr. DeGarmo's case was confirmed by the Texas Court of Criminal appeals, and his case is now under review. Matson's case was overturned by the Crimal Court of Appeals, and the CCA ordered a retrial. This retrial is due to the judge's failure to allow an expert witness to testify that Matson would "probably not be dangerous to the public in the future". Death Row Facts and Fugures The issue includes some information about the death row population size at the time of publication, and the "number of murders cimmitted by the state". Legal News and Notes This article includes new legal information about the Texas Criminal Court of appeals regarding Salvage v. Colline, and it's affect on the "Penry claims". Only in America The author of this article discusses an article he read in the Dallas newspaper regarding juvenile execution rates in Texas and in the United State. Texas law allows for individuals who are 17 at the age of their trial to be tried as an adult. According to the article, at the time of publication, there are 31 youths on death row, 7 of which are located in Texas. Hospitality House This article discusses the Hospitality House charity, and how it helps death row inmates' loved ones. The Hospitality House is run by the Texas Baptist Prison Family Ministry Foundation, and offers up temporary living for families and visitors of inmates. A donation is required, and is used to keep the House in operation. The overall goal of of the Hospitality House is to "minister to physical and spiritual needs" and "encourage and strenghten family relationships." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource What's Happening staff Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 1991 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newsletter Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Ellis Correctional Unit, Huntsville, Texas Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Endeavor Project Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This material is made available for education and research purposes only. The creator of this exhibit does not own the rights for these items; it cannot grant or deny permission to use this material. Copyright law protects unpublished as well as published materials. It is your responsibility to determine the rights status and secure whatever permission may be needed for the use of any item. Due to the nature of archival collections, rights information may be incomplete or out of date. We welcome updates or corrections. Upon request, we'll remove material from public view while we address a rights issue. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Dolph Briscoe Center for American History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Joseph B. Nichols-Bey James "Sugarman" Russell Gary "T" Graham (Shaka Sankofa) Relation A related resource Texas Death Row Collection- Endeavor Folder