Biography
Kevin Rashid Johnson is best known for organizing and writing from prison, framing incarceration as a political condition and advocating for prisoner rights, labor organizing, and accountability for abuse behind bars. He helped found the New Afrikan Black Panther Party and has used essays, legal filings, and public campaigns to challenge solitary confinement, censorship, and prison labor practices.
He was convicted of murder in 1990 and sentenced to life imprisonment. During decades of incarceration, he has remained a prominent figure in prisoner-led political education and protest, including through sustained public advocacy despite repeated transfers and disciplinary actions.
Diagnosed with multiple myeloma; supporters have publicly called for medical/compassionate release. Has been repeatedly transferred under interstate compact in apparent retaliation for prison-conditions journalism (prior stints in Oregon, Texas, Florida, Indiana). Most recent verifiable placement as of 2024–2025 reporting is the Virginia Department of Corrections.