I Am Troy Davis
ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2011, Troy Anthony Davis was put to death by the State of Georgia. Davis’s execution was protested by hundreds of thousands across the globe. How did one man capture the world’s imagination and become the iconic face for the campaign to end the death penalty?
I Am Troy Davis, coauthored by Jen Marlowe and Davis’s sister Martina Davis-Correia, tells the intimate story of an ordinary man caught up in an inexorable tragedy. From his childhood in racially charged Savannah; to the confused events that led to the 1989 murder of a police officer; to Davis’s sudden arrest, conviction, and two-decade fight to prove his innocence; I Am Troy Davis takes us inside a broken legal system where life and death hang in the balance. It is also an inspiring testament to the unbreakable bond of family, to the resilience of love, and to how even when you reach the end of justice, voices from across the world will rise together in chorus and proclaim, I am Troy Davis,” I stand with you.
I Am Troy Davis, coauthored by Jen Marlowe and Davis’s sister Martina Davis-Correia, tells the intimate story of an ordinary man caught up in an inexorable tragedy. From his childhood in racially charged Savannah; to the confused events that led to the 1989 murder of a police officer; to Davis’s sudden arrest, conviction, and two-decade fight to prove his innocence; I Am Troy Davis takes us inside a broken legal system where life and death hang in the balance. It is also an inspiring testament to the unbreakable bond of family, to the resilience of love, and to how even when you reach the end of justice, voices from across the world will rise together in chorus and proclaim, I am Troy Davis,” I stand with you.
Reviews
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"Essential for those interested in the U.S. justice system in general and the death penalty in particular." Library Journal
Here is a shout for human rights and for the abolition of the death penalty. This book, I Am Troy Davis, should be read and cherished. It will inspire courage in the heart of those who are willing to use their efforts to save lives and increase the quality of life for all people.”
Maya Angelou
Martina and Troy are heroes from a family of heroes. This story of their lives is also a call to action. It asks each of us to pick up where they left off by ending the death penalty once and for all so the risk of executing an innocent person is finally eliminated in America.”
Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO, NAACP
"Read this book, about Martina Davis-Correia and Troy Anthony Davis. The lives of this sister and brother were tragically cut short, one by cancer, the other through a cruel injection of a lethal, chemical cocktail in the final act of a profoundly unjust criminal justice system. This book captures their unflagging courage in confronting the challenges thrust upon them. More than history, more than eulogy, I Am Troy Davis is an urgent call to action."
Amy Goodman
"Like Trayvon Martin's monumental murder, the execution of Troy Davis was a historic awakening for this country -- an awakening of the deadly consequences of white supremacy. Don't miss this book!"
Cornel West, Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice, Union Theological Seminary
"In this moving and intimate portrait of Troy Davis and his courageous family, Jen Marlowe restores to Troy his humanity, and reminds us why every life matters, and why capital punishment makes this country a pariah among the world's democracies."
Gloria Steinem
"I Am Troy Davis is a painful yet very important book, one that will bring you face to face with the human impact of the death penalty system, prompt you to think deeply about the flaws in our criminal justice system, and inspire you to stand with all those who have been wrongfully placed on death row."
Susan Sarandon
Martina Correia’s heroic fight to save her brother’s life while battling for her own serves as a powerful testament for activists.”
Liliana Segura, the Nation
"I Am Troy Davis is heart stopping proof that the death penalty didn't just kill an innocent Troy Davis and break and bury his gorgeous family, but it charred the soul of America. This book will devastate you, piss you off and then inspire you to work with your life to the end the death penalty forever."
Eve Ensler, Author and Playwright
"I Am Troy Davis, takes readers on the journey of a remarkable family whose faith, love, integrity and convictions propelled their fight for their loved one and a larger cause. Jen Marlowe’s careful and sensitive collaboration with the Davises has yielded a narrative that will surely inspire readers to pick up the torch that Martina Davis Correia so bravely carried for social justice and human dignity with every ounce of her being and every day of her life."
Laura Moye, Amnesty International USA Death Penalty Abolition Campaign Director Emeritus
"A Must Read Book the searing, heartbreaking story of a strong and loving family caught in the vortex of a dysfunctional criminal justice system."
Anne Emanuel, Georgia State University Law Professor and ABA Georgia Death Penalty Assessment Chair -
"Essential for those interested in the U.S. justice system in general and the death penalty in particular." —Library Journal
“Here is a shout for human rights and for the abolition of the death penalty. This book, I Am Troy Davis, should be read and cherished. It will inspire courage in the heart of those who are willing to use their efforts to save lives and increase the quality of life for all people.”
—Maya Angelou
“Martina and Troy are heroes from a family of heroes. This story of their lives is also a call to action. It asks each of us to pick up where they left off by ending the death penalty once and for all so the risk of executing an innocent person is finally eliminated in America.”
—Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO, NAACP
"Read this book, about Martina Davis-Correia and Troy Anthony Davis. The lives of this sister and brother were tragically cut short, one by cancer, the other through a cruel injection of a lethal, chemical cocktail in the final act of a profoundly unjust criminal justice system. This book captures their unflagging courage in confronting the challenges thrust upon them. More than history, more than eulogy, I Am Troy Davis is an urgent call to action."
—Amy Goodman
"Like Trayvon Martin's monumental murder, the execution of Troy Davis was a historic awakening for this country -- an awakening of the deadly consequences of white supremacy. Don't miss this book!"
—Cornel West, Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice, Union Theological Seminary
"In this moving and intimate portrait of Troy Davis and his courageous family, Jen Marlowe restores to Troy his humanity, and reminds us why every life matters, and why capital punishment makes this country a pariah among the world's democracies."
—Gloria Steinem
"I Am Troy Davis is a painful yet very important book, one that will bring you face to face with the human impact of the death penalty system, prompt you to think deeply about the flaws in our criminal justice system, and inspire you to stand with all those who have been wrongfully placed on death row."
—Susan Sarandon
“Martina Correia’s heroic fight to save her brother’s life while battling for her own serves as a powerful testament for activists.”
—Liliana Segura, the Nation
"I Am Troy Davis is heart stopping proof that the death penalty didn't just kill an innocent Troy Davis and break and bury his gorgeous family, but it charred the soul of America. This book will devastate you, piss you off and then inspire you to work with your life to the end the death penalty forever."
—Eve Ensler, Author and Playwright
"I Am Troy Davis, takes readers on the journey of a remarkable family whose faith, love, integrity and convictions propelled their fight for their loved one and a larger cause. Jen Marlowe’s careful and sensitive collaboration with the Davises has yielded a narrative that will surely inspire readers to pick up the torch that Martina Davis Correia so bravely carried for social justice and human dignity with every ounce of her being and every day of her life."
—Laura Moye, Amnesty International USA Death Penalty Abolition Campaign Director Emeritus
"A Must Read Book – the searing, heartbreaking story of a strong and loving family caught in the vortex of a dysfunctional criminal justice system."
—Anne Emanuel, Georgia State University Law Professor and ABA Georgia Death Penalty Assessment Chair