Carter - The sixteenth round: from number 1 contender do number 45472

On this page I would like to mention the least firstthe ungodly nemeses in my life who have made it necessary for me to write this book: the corrupt and vindictive officials who played their roles to a T in this tightly woven drama to bury me alive, aided and abetted by laws which simply do not protect the sovereign rights of the individual, as the Bill of Rights requires, but the blatant wrongs of a select few.

This is not to say that no pure gems have passed through this wretched life of mine, because they came in droves, the most important one being Linda Yablonsky, my editor, the beautifuland sometimes disturbingwoman, who waged an uphill battle in her efforts to make a writer out of a fighter, hoping to show in the final analysis that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword. But without her nourishing the literary seed, this story might not have been told in this particular medium.

My deepest appreciation is also extended to all those beautiful and courageous people who, at the risk of being incarcerated themselves, still appeared in court to testify in my behalf, stood firm on what they knew to be the truth, and suffered miserably for it at the hands of Madam One-Eyed Justice. Those people were Mrs. Catherine McGuire, Mrs. Anna Mapes, Merrit Wimberly, Welton Deary, Edward Allen, Hector Martinez, and John Bucks Royster.

I would also like to thank Peter Rush, Ronald Lipton, Frederick Hogan, and Billy Kilroyfour honest police officerswho at one time or another during the past seven years traveled on their own volition to the Rahway State Prison to offer their assistance in the struggle to set me free.

A special accolade goes to Frank Earl Andrews, for his guidance in making The Sixteenth Round a reality; to Mrs. Eleanor Howard, for her consistent words of encouragement, which somehowalways managed to come when times were bleak; to Dave Anderson of The New York Times, whose enlightening articles exposed my fate to the public; and finally, to Richard Solomonmy main kazaamwho at times could be both warm and friendly, yet coldly precise and highly critical, and who always had his mind set toward furthering our common goalmy freedom.

Lastly, I would like to offer my gratitude to all the peopleespecially those millions of little ones who, despite their Constitutional guarantees, are always subjected to the abuse of the law. Their strength has always been a constant reminder to me that love, compassion, beauty, and hope can still survive, even under this oppression.

For this I thank you one and all.

RUBIN CARTER

September 1, 1973
Rahway State Prison,
New Jersey

Also by Rubin Hurricane Carter

Eye of the Hurricane: My Path from Darkness to Freedom

PRIZE FIGHTING RECORD

Rubin (Hurricane) Carter

Born in Clifton, New Jersey, on May 6, 1937. Height 5 feet 8 inches. Engaged in 56 amateur bouts. Had 36 KOs, won 15 decisions, and lost 5. No draws.

Also Available from Lawrence Hill Books

Eye of the Hurricane

My Path from Darkness to Freedom
Dr. Rubin Hurricane Carter, LL.D.
with Ken Klonsky
Foreword by Nelson Mandela

978-1-56976-568-5

Outspoken, uncompromising, and ultimately accurate. Dr. Carters autobiography presents the unique and passionate vision of a unique and passionate man.

Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking

When a judge is responsible for freeing a person whom he believes has been wrongly convicted of murder, he worries whether he will live to regret or be proud of that decision. When it comes to Rubin Carter, I have no regrets.... He is a testament to the human spirit.

Judge H. Lee Sarokin

The Almighty Black P Stone Nation

The Rise, Fall, and Resurgence of an
American Gang
Natalie Y. Moore and Lance Williams

978-1-55652-845-3

Fascinating.... A compelling account of the evolution of one of Americas largest gangs as an illustration of the dangers of government efforts to frame gang activity as terrorism.

Publishers Weekly

A powerful expos of disturbing realities underlying enduringly misunderstood urban legends.

Kirkus Reviews

The best and most accurate book on a contemporary Chicago gang ever written.

John Hagedorn, author of People and Folks:
Gangs, Crime, and the Underclass in a Rustbelt City

The Assassination of Fred Hampton

How the FBI and the Chicago Police
Murdered a Black Panther
Jeffrey Haas

978-1-56976-709-2

A riveting account of the assassination, the plot behind it, the attempted cover-up, the denouement, and the lessons that we should draw from this shocking tale of government iniquity.

Noam Chomsky

[A] political cliff-hanger.... TheAssassination of Fred Hampton is an expos [that] should be read in schools across the country.

Huffington Post

[A] disturbing eyewitness account in straightforward prose.... A still-chilling tale of law-enforcement misconduct.

Kirkus Reviews

Curveball

The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone,
the First Woman to Play Professional
Baseball in the Negro League
Martha Ackmann

978-1-55652-796-8

We should thank Martha Ackmann for this introduction to the indomitable Toni Stone and for guiding us to a forgotten place in the sports history.

Frank Deford

Radical Disciple

Father Pfleger, St. Sabina Church,
and the Fight for Social Justice
Robert McClory

978-1-56976-528-9

In the spirit and tradition of my father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Father Michael Pfleger has poured his heart and his remarkable energy into fighting for justice and decency and speaking truth to power on behalf of the least of these. Radical Disciple provides a glimpse into the life of one of Americas most courageous clergymen and the ways that he has used his God-given gifts and talents to advance racial justice, human liberation, and a more nonviolent society.

Bernice A. King, president-elect,
Southern Christian Leadership Conference

Father Michael Pfleger is one of the great prophetic Christian figures in American life and history. His political activism and social ministry are rooted in a profound love of God and genuine compassion for the least of thesepoor and working people. This book captures his vocation and mission in a convincing and timely manner.