20/01/2026
Reginald Dwayne Betts says his life changed because of a single contraband book he received while in solitary confinement at age 17. That moment sparked a love of reading and writing that carried him through nearly a decade in prison and reshaped how he saw his future.
After his release, Betts pursued education with determination, earning a bachelor’s degree and later a law degree from Yale University. He became an acclaimed poet and a leading voice in prison reform, often speaking about how access to literature gave him purpose, discipline, and hope.
He later founded Freedom Reads, a nonprofit that installs libraries in prisons across the United States. Since 2020, the organization has built hundreds of libraries filled with hundreds of thousands of books, offering incarcerated people spaces for learning, reflection, and connection.
Source: Freedom Reads; foundation reports; published interviews and profiles
Shared for informational/Educational purpose only