LibGuides: Exonerated 5: Miscarriage of Justice: UMass Lowell Welcomes Dr. Yusef Salaam

On April 19, 1989, a violent crime was committed in New York City’s Central Park. The victim was a young woman, attacked and sexually assaulted. Five young people from Harlem—Yusef Salaam, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise—were arrested, tried and convicted of the crime. The trial was closely followed in the press, creating passionate reactions. The victim became known as the “Central Park jogger,” and the accused young people became known as the “Central Park Five.” Yusef Salaam was 15-years-old when he was arrested, and his life was changed forever.

The Central Park Five received sentences ranging from six to twelve years. In 2002, all charges were vacated after a prison inmate confessed to the crime.

Dr. Yusef Salaam Peabody Awards CC BY 2.0

Better, Not Bitter by Yusef Salaam
Call Number: Lydon HV 9468 .S244 A3 2021

ISBN: 9781538705001

Publication Date: 2021-05-18

This inspirational memoir serves as a call to action from prison reform activist Yusef Salaam, of the Exonerated Five, that will inspire us all to turn our stories into tools for change in the pursuit of racial justice. No one's life is the sum of the worst things that happened to them, and during Yusef Salaam's seven years of wrongful incarceration as one of the Central Park Five, he grew from child to man, and gained a spiritual perspective on life. Despite having confronted the racist heart of America, Yusef channeled his energy and pain into something positive, not just for himself but for other marginalized people and communities. Better Not Bitter is the first time that one of the now Exonerated Five tells his individual story.

Exonerated 5: Miscarriage of Justice

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Clip from Ken Burns' "The Central Park Five"