Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death, and Redemption in an American Prison Characters

Shaka Senghor

Why are we so fascinated by the characters of Darth Vader, or Severus Snape?Because their stories...

James White

Shaka's dad promises to be there for Shaka no matter what, and he stands by that promise through...

Shaka's Mother

Shaka's mother plays a big role in his life. Unfortunately, it's mostly not a positive one. But...

Shaka's Stepmother

Shaka's dad eventually starts a new relationship. We don't hear too much about his stepmother,...

Li'l Jay

Shaka's son Li'l Jay makes a huge difference in Shaka's life. Actually, scratch that: he makes a...

Sekou

Sekou (Shaka's son) is just a baby when the book ends, but he gives Shaka something he's...

Shaka's Daughter and Grandson

Shaka isn't able to be very involved in his daughter Lakeisha's life, because her mother doesn't...

Brenda

Brenda is Shaka's girlfriend at the time of his arrest, and they have a son together: L'il Jay....

Ebony

Ebony is a remarkable woman, and she becomes Shaka's romantic partner towards the end of his time...

Nycci

Chris

Shaka doesn't know much about the man he shoots at the time—mainly just that the guy had...

John

A customer of Miko's who picks up crack for his friends, John also offers Miko's team the chance...

Kevin

Kevin's the nephew of the family who lives upstairs from one of the drug spots Shaka works.Kevin...

Miko

Baruti

Baruti is a wise mentor figure that Shaka learns from. And we think Shaka chooses wisely when he...

BX

BX is Shaka's roomie at Oaks after Shaka gets out of solitary. He's also in the Melanics, and...

Day Day

Shaka actually knew Day Day before either of them went to prison, but they get reacquainted when...

Jimmy

Kevin

Kevin has a wild sense of humor, and is respected by Shaka and his pals and part of their circle....

O'Neal El

A fellow inmate at Carson City, O'Neal El opens Shaka's eyes to a whole world of...

Lowrider

Lowrider is Shaka's neighbor across the hall in solitary confinement at Standish Maximum...

Nancy Weaver

Nancy Weaver writes to Shaka, because she's the godmother of Chris, the man Shaka killed....

Reed

Reed helps bring home to Shaka how weird it is that lots of psychiatry patients are in prison...

Yusef

When Shaka gets sent back to Michigan Reformatory after his time at Standish, he gets to know...

Tom

Tom is one Shaka's prison supervisors, and he's super-impressed with the article Shaka writes for...

Bathroom Officer

This officer unfairly tries to keep Shaka from using the bathroom when he really has to go. Shaka...

Officer at Baraga

This guy's encounter with Shaka is kind of a two-sided coin. On the one hand, it emphasizes the...

Dr. Skinner

Dr. Skinner has a reputation for being hard to work with, but Shaka actually agrees with his...