Wilkinson Inmate Glen Conley II to Present Conference Paper on Anne Moody

Historic project approved by the Mississippi Department of Corrections

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD

Chairman, Anne Moody History Project

Copyright (c) 2019

#AnneMoody

#ComingOfAgeinMississippi
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Glen Conley II

WOODVILLE, Miss. – For the first time in Mississippi’s history, an incarcerated man will present an academic paper directly from prison.

Glen Conley II of Wilkinson County Correctional Facility (WCCF), Woodville, will present a paper next year on Anne Moody via Skype at the 18th Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, Genders and Sexualities at Johns Hopkins University. The conference will be held May 28-31, 2020.

“It’s mind-boggling to contemplate being a part of history in the making,” said Conley. “This is truly a prestigious honor. I am grateful for and indebted to each person who was instrumental in making this opportunity possible.”

Conley will present the paper from the Visitation Room at WCCF. The Mississippi Department of Corrections approved the presentation in November.

Chaplain Roscoe Barnes III, who chairs the Anne Moody History Project (AMHP), said he was happy to receive MDOC’s approval for the presentation. “This is a first,” he said, adding he and WCCF staff are happy to be a part of history.

“This is an important moment for Mr. Conley,” Barnes noted. “It’s also important for our facility, the state of Mississippi and for MTC. As far as we know, this has never been done before.”

Anne Moody (1940-2015) was a civil rights pioneer and the author of Coming of Age in Mississippi. Conley has led a reading of her book in the Every Day Book Club at WCCF, according to Barnes. Conley is now doing research on her life history. He is also the author of Reflections in Black:Remembering Anne Moody and Others Who Paved the Way (Lulu.com, 2019), a book of poetry that he published earlier this year. The book has a Foreword by Dr. Leigh Ann Wheeler of Binghamton University in New York.

Conley’s abstract for the conference was accepted earlier this year. His proposed paper is titled, “Coming of Age to See Things Differently: How Whites Influenced Anne Moody’s Decision to Fight Social Injustice.”

Conley is a graduate of the seminary program at Parchman, where he earned a bachelor’s degree and an associate degree through the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Theological Studies through NationsUniversity.

“We’re proud of him,” said Deputy Warden of Program George Castro. “He’s a budding scholar with an insatiable appetite for knowledge. I believe this achievement will be an inspiration to many, especially the other men in our custody.”

WCCF houses 950 male offenders. It is privately managed by MTC or Management & Training Corporation of Utah.

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Want to know MORE about Anne Moody?

Visit here to see the timeline of 

important events in her life history!

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For more information:
See the Anne Moody page here. Questions about the Anne Moody History Project may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D. via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on Anne Moody history and the on-going work of this community service project, simply follow this blog or follow AMHP on Twitter (@AnneMoodyHP). #ComingOfAgeinMississippi