An Oral History Project Conducted by John Robert Lewis Fellow Aimee Clesi
Project Description
I interviewed Sister Helen Prejean via Zoom on May 27, 2025. Our conversation began with a discussion of her upbringing and experiences in Jim Crow Louisiana to becoming a national voice against the death penalty. Sister Helen reflected on her spiritual awakening and the profound influence of living among the poor, which led her to accompany death row prisoners. She discussed her written work and advocacy in wrongful conviction cases, including Richard Glossip’s. Throughout the interview, Sister Helen emphasized the structural legacy of slavery and its impact on the American death penalty system, as well as the moral imperative of abolition.
