Sr. Helen Prejean papers
This collection contains material detailing Sr. Helen’s work with death row inmates and her campaign against the death penalty. There is correspondence with three of the prisoners for whom she has been spiritual advisor: Pat Sonnier, Robert Lee Willie, and Dobie Gillis Williams. There is also inform...
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| Format: | Archival Material |
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| Created: |
DePaul University Library Special Collections and Archives
1902-2014
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| Summary: | This collection contains material detailing Sr. Helen’s work with death row inmates and her campaign against the death penalty. There is correspondence with three of the prisoners for whom she has been spiritual advisor: Pat Sonnier, Robert Lee Willie, and Dobie Gillis Williams. There is also information about two of the other men she has accompanied to execution: Joseph O’Dell and James Allridge. Willie Celestine is not represented in this collection. The death row inmates with whom Sr. Helen is currently involved are also not represented here. There is documentation on the process of writing her two books, Dead Man Walking and The Death of Innocents (including drafts, critiques, and editorial comments), the impact of those books, and the process of adapting Dead Man Walking into a movie, opera, and play. Sr. Helen’s advocacy work is represented with material about her work with the Louisiana Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (LCADP) and the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP), the Moratorium Campaign, the Catholic Campaign, Hands Off Cain, the subject files she collected, her other writings, and correspondence with notable persons, including her letter to Pope John Paul II about changing the Catholic Catechism. The Ministry Against the Death Penalty (MADP) staff files are also represented. Originating through the ministries of Sr. Helen, the MADP was incorporated in 2001 in New Orleans by the Congregation of St. Joseph. Sr. Helen's activities are coordinated through the MADP Offices. The MADP staff files include many letters about the impact of Sr. Helen’s work, as well as letters from “Ardent Foes” who are critical of her ministry and work to abolish the death penalty. There are also listings of all the events at which Sr. Helen has been a speaker. These Event Files are maintained by Sr. Margaret Maggio at the MADP office. Following these files are Photographs, Awards, and Oversize series containing photographs, awards, memorabilia, videos, and costume pieces reflecting many of the activities and events represented in this collection. The last three series represent three additions to the collection between 2012 and 2015. These files were likely maintained by MADP staff and Special Project Manager Rachael Hudak. All three additions contain materials related to subjects throughout the collection, such as Pilgrimage for Life, Sr. Helen’s speaking engagements, and the Dead Man Walking Play Project. |
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| Physical Description: | 69 LF |