Stitching Freedom: A True Story of Injustice, Defiance, and Hope in Angola Prison

by Gary Tyler

In the tradition of books by Albert Woodfox and Angela Davis comes the gripping memoir of a wrongful conviction and life on death row in Angola prison, showing how incarcerated people care for, protect, mentor, and teach each other.

In 1975, seventeen-year-old Gary Tyler was sent to Angola prison to die. A year earlier, he had been wrongfully charged with the killing of a white teenager and found guilty by an all-white jury, making Gary the youngest prisoner on death row in the country.

Following his conviction, Amnesty International and investigative reporters documented the brutal treatment, fabricated evidence, recanted testimony, and repeated injustices that led to his sentencing. Three times Gary was recommended for a pardon; three times Louisiana governors refused to accept the political risk. After more than four decades in prison, Tyler was released in 2016—but he was never exonerated.

This is not a story of mistaken identity or circumstantial evidence, but one of systemic injustice from an institution hard-wired into a legacy of slavery—in effect, this was a legal lynching. It is precisely this harsh reality that makes this memoir a remarkable celebration of life and justice, a story of pride, forgiveness, community, and triumph. With insight and heart, Gary shows how he learned to reject bitterness and survive with the help and mentorship from activists such Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace on the inside, and the relentless support from people on the outside. Stitching Freedom is the page-turning chance for Gary to reclaim his power and exonerate himself at last.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, History

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Gary Tyler, a sixteen year old black boy who is sent to death row for a crime he never committed. While in prison he has a lot of anger and is treated badly by the prison guards. He decides to turn his anger into something useful. He joined a drama club, where he created great plays. He also worked in hospice, taking care of his fellow inmates. He doesn't get released for four decades, but when he gets out he makes a great life for himself. He helped so many young black men by working in shelters and traveling around giving speeches and performing the plays he created. Highly recommend.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a retired RN who has worked in jails for some years, but never in prisons. I have been aware of Angola prison for many years it has been shown as a tale of horror for the inmates. This is the first good thing I've read about it, but it's the inmates who are extraordinary, the system still sucks.
Gary was a seventeen-year-old black youth with no priors when he was railroaded into prison and on death row where he remained for forty-two years. The justice system failed him rather spectacularly. Still, he did everything he could to make appeal after appeal while working with others to improve thins at this notorious prison. He and others learned valuable skills while helping others. But can you even imagine finally being released and coming into a world vastly changed from everything you had known nearly FIFTY YEARS ago? With the help of family and others who believed in him, he has changed his life and those of others without becoming the embittered and angry man too many others have become. He learned the art and science of quilting as a means of expression while making and following new dreams.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Atria Books | Atria/One Signal Publishers via NetGalley. ***** review He has found joy in life
#StitchingFreedom by @garytylerstudio @atriabooks @onesignalpub
#memoir #wrongfulconviction #survival #falselyaccused #deathsentence #angolaprison #murder #louisianaprison #hope #fightforjustice #risingstarsprogram #quilting #acting #speakingtours
"Justice denied and justice fought for."

[Kenzie | kenzienoelle.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

IG review: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOq8uhlkW...

Meet Gary Tyler. He’s 16 years old and he just got sent to death row… for a crime he didn’t commit.

This is a “…memoir of a wrongful conviction and life on death row in Angola prison, showing how incarcerated people care for, protect, mentor, and teach each other.”

Majority of this book focused on Tyler’s life behind bars and how he was able to work through anger, not give into bitterness and keep fighting even when life looked bleak. I truly cannot even imagine the desperation.

How sad that there have to continue to be stories about wrongfully incarcerated humans. But thankful to the men and women, who continue to share their stories of despair, hope and everything in between. JUST MERCY was the first story I read with this subject matter and it was such a special moment when Bryan Stevenson showed up in this book.

Thank you to @onesignalpub and @atriabooks #atriapartner for the gifted ARC. This one comes out October 7, 2025!

[Gayle Slagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stitching Freedom: A True Story of Injustice, Defiance, and Hope in Angola Prison by Gary Tyler is an eye-opening and raw look into the life of a young black man who is incarcerated in Angola prison beginning when he was 17 years old. Gary Tyler was wrongly accused of killing a young white teenager in Louisiana and found guilty by an all-white jury. He received the death penalty and was sent to Angola. Following his conviction, Amnesty International and others documented the brutal treatment, fabricated evidence, recanted testimony, and injustices that led to his sentencing. Recommended for parole three times, these pardons were rejected each time. After spending more that four decades in prison, Tyler was finally released in 2016, though he was never exonerated.
However, this is really the story of Gary and a celebration of life and justice, of pride, forgiveness, personal growth, community, and finally of triumph. With insight and with heart, Tyler shows how he overcame bitterness and learned to survive with the help of mentors. This memoir is at times heart-breaking and at times uplifting. Tyler is honest in his assessment of life in prison and his transformation while there; it is a book that will remain in my heart.

[Lulu]

Gary Tyler's "Stitching Freedom" is a powerful, unflinching memoir about surviving one of the most extreme injustices in modern American history. At just 17 years old, Gary Tyler was wrongfully convicted of murder by an all-white jury in Louisiana and sentenced to death. He spent over four decades in Louisiana's Angola prison, one of the most notorious penitentiaries in the U.S., before finally being released in 2016, though he was never officially exonerated.

This book is a true standout, not just due to the shocking miscarriage of justice, but in the way Tyler tells his story with honesty, clarity, and deep humanity. While he doesn’t shy away from the cruelty of the system or the pain of his own experience, he also shows how he found meaning, community, and purpose while locked away. This memoir is as much about resilience and resistance as it is about injustice.

Tyler’s voice is steady and grounded, not bitter, which makes the impact of his story even stronger. "Stitching Freedom" is a vital reminder of how the U.S. prison system operates in the shadow of racial violence, but also serves as a tribute to the power of collective care, personal transformation, and the long fight for justice. It’s not an easy read, but it’s definitely an essential one.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine it’s 1975, and you’re a Black youth arrested for killing a white kid. The “jury of your peers” is all white adults. You’re innocent, but of course no one believes you. So at 17 years old, you’re sentenced to death.

That’s what happened to Gary Tyler.

Fortunately, Gary’s death sentence was commuted to life, which kept him from being executed. But he remained in prison for an astounding 42 years.

Despite the injustice (way too quiet of a word for this situation), Gary was able to rein in his outrage and create a productive life within the confines of prison. His story is a powerful lesson of hope and forgiveness.

*Thanks to Simon Audio for the free audiobook download.*

[Megan Shadley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot about bias, racism and injustice in the legal system and inhumane treatment of prisoners through this story of a wrongfully convicted black man. The way he never lost hope or succumbed to his environment, but worked to make the best of an awful situation and make life better for himself and other prisoners was inspiring.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping read. Gary's self-transformation against all odds -- to emerge from decades of unjust imprisonment as a man proud of who he has become, unbroken, full of hope and joy. What an inspiration he is! And now, in freedom, he soars -- an artist, an author, a thinker, an extraordinary human.

[Angie Waller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a powerful story. This book held my attention. Gary is truly a remarkable person. Won a copy on Goodreads giveaways.

[Monchichi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb!!!! 🤗

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.