Robin Bernstein is the Dillon Professor of American History and Professor of African and African American Studies and Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard University. In this episode we discuss her latest book, Freeman's Challenge: The Murder That Shook America's Original Prison for Profit. Published by the University of Chicago Press in May 2024, it led Dr. Bernstein to—among other places—a packed fellowship hall at North Presbyterian Church in Williamsville, New York, where I got to hear her give a talk about it in July. I bought a copy of the book 5 minutes later, immediately certain that this story would captivate the Point of Learning audience just as it had me. It’s a compelling example of a mantra I used with my students: if you pursue any single area of interest far enough, you’ll see that it’s connected to everything else. In this case, “Through one Black man, his family, and his city, Robin Bernstein tells an explosive, moving story about the entangled origins of prison for profit and anti-Black racism” (from the book jacket).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR. To learn more about Robin Bernstein’s work, visit her website.

Mentioned at the end of our conversation, 13th Forward is the legislative coalition of advocates, grassroots organizations, and impacted people working to end exploitation and brutality within our prison labor system. It draws its name from the 13th Amendment, which outlawed chattel slavery with one exception: “as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” Learn more about their work here.

MUSIC. In addition to standard intro (“Weight of the World”) and outro (“Villainous Thing”) music from Shayfer James’ 2011 album Counterfeit Arcade, additional underscore from this episode includes instrumental versions of “700 Days” and “Troublemaker” from Shipwreck (2023). To find the latest tour and new release information for Shayfer James, visit his website.

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