J. Z. Bennett – författare

The largest urban center in Appalachia, Pittsburgh has long been a hub of Black freedom work. It has also been an enduring center of carcerality in the United States. Local experiences reflect a strong tradition of resisting systemic antiblackness, state and corporate divestment, repression, and broader carceral forces and highlight Pittsburgh's record of labor radicalism, environmental activism, and community educational efforts._x000D_Black Freedom Struggle in Urban Appalachia explores the interplay of creative self-determination, intellectual insurgency, and political education in Pittsburgh. This collection gathers dynamic artists, thinkers, and organizers, all contributing unique perspectives through essays, poems, scholarly chapters, interviews, and imagery. Positioning Pittsburgh as a pivotal space within the region while proposing an anti-carceral framework for understanding education, the anthology examines how people live the struggle for freedom and broadens discussions about the prison-industrial complex, labor, and place in Appalachia—sparking questions motivated by a shared commitment to liberation._x000D_By fostering dialogue among contributors and elevating diverse forms of analysis, Black Freedom Struggle in Urban Appalachia offers a valuable resource for educators, students, creatives, activists, policymakers, and communities alike, encouraging us all to forge stronger connections and continue the fight for a free world.