Imagine spending years, even decades, behind bars for crimes you didn’t commit. Six men are now reclaiming their narratives by sharing these deeply personal and harrowing experiences in a powerful new stage play they helped create. ‘The Lynched Among Us’ offers a raw look into the fight for justice and the resilience of the human spirit.
Reclaiming Narratives Through Theater
Alfred Cleveland and Lamont Clark are two of the six men whose stories are brought to life in ‘The Lynched Among Us,’ a true-crime stage play premiering at Playhouse Square on September 5. Clark, who served 23 years in prison, described the play’s title as a reflection of modern-day injustices: ‘We called our play ‘The Lynched Among Us’ because it was like a modern-day lynching. People will make an allegation. They will mob up, go get the person and do what they have to do them.’
Cleveland, who spent 26 years wrongfully imprisoned, echoed this sentiment, calling the play ‘the struggle. This is the dark times and the emergence from that.’ Together, they, along with other exonerated men, are using the stage to reveal the immense ‘blood, sweat, and tears’ it took to survive and challenge a flawed justice system.
A Call for Education and Awareness
Charles Jackson, who was wrongfully imprisoned for 27 years and now owns SweetRoz Ice Cream Parlor, believes sharing their stories is crucial, despite the pain it may bring. He encourages parents to bring their children to witness the play, stating, ‘Somebody needs to bring their kids to watch our play and all our stories; they’re going to resonate with somebody, and somebody is going to get something out of it.’
Jackson, Laurese Glover, RuEl Sailor, and Michael Sutton have all been exonerated after serving between 15 and 27 years. Cleveland and Clark, however, continue to fight their convictions, even after more than two decades behind bars. Jerome Chambers, who also experienced a wrongful conviction and co-directed and stars in the play, hopes it will serve as a source of inspiration and education, showcasing ‘the images of strong Black men that need to be seen in the media.’
- Premiering September 5 at Playhouse Square.
- Featuring six men who were wrongfully convicted.
- Co-directed and starring Jerome Chambers.
- Sharing harrowing personal journeys of survival and struggle.
- Aims to educate audiences about the justice system.
- Also showing September 26 in Cincinnati.
Have you ever experienced or witnessed injustice? What impact do you think powerful storytelling like ‘The Lynched Among Us’ can have? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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