Historical Spotlight: Prison Activists Surveillance Program

To a certain extent, this country has long been shaped by systems of hypersurveillance, over-policing, and covert operations kept hidden behind closed doors. From explicit programs like COINTELPRO to more subtle forms of propaganda, it can be difficult to decipher intent when power and control are involved. History shows that when individuals, especially within the Black community, use their platforms to inspire change, they are often labeled and targeted in return. In this Historical Spotlight, we take a closer look at the Prison Activists Surveillance Program (PRISACTS), a covert FBI operation designed to monitor and control activists within the prison system.