by Yusef Salaam
Yusef Salaam was only 15 years old in 1989 when he and four other teens were falsely accused of the brutal rape of a Central Park jogger. He was imprisoned for seven years, but the Central Park Five were not exonerated until 2002 when one of them encountered the actual rapist in prison and persuaded him to come forward. Astonishingly, Salaam’s memoir is one of “astounding warmth” (National Public Radio). He describes the importance of his family (especially his fiercely loving mother) and his faith. Now a prison reform activist, Yusef Salaam offers a galvanizing call to action in the pursuit of racial justice.
See the Jones Library Antiracism Book List for recommended titles for all ages.