Surviving death row and racial injustice: Author and activist to share his decades-long journey to freedom

Anthony Ray Hinton’s Incredible story

Author and activist Anthony Ray Hinton spent 30 years on Alabama's death row after being wrongly convicted of two unsolved murders in 1985. With the assistance of the Equal Justice Initiative, led by attorney Bryan Stevenson, Hinton was freed in 2015 after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the 1985 decision.

Since his release, Hinton has traveled the world sharing his story and discussing the changes that need to be made to prevent similar injustices from happening to other people. In 2018, he published “The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row,” which became a New York Times bestseller.

“We are honored to have Mr. Hinton share his story at Montana State University this fall,” said MSU President Waded Cruzado. “His advocacy for justice and equality sets an example for all of us and we look forward to having many members of our community gather to learn and grow through his knowledge and commitment.”

On Amazon and Goodreads:

“With a foreword by Stevenson, The Sun Does Shine is an extraordinary testament to the power of hope sustained through the darkest times. Destined to be a classic memoir of wrongful imprisonment and freedom won, Hinton’s memoir tells his dramatic thirty-year journey and shows how you can take away a man’s freedom, but you can’t take away his imagination, humor, or joy.”

Hinton’s book will be available for purchase from MSU’s Bookstore. A book signing will take place after the event.

This event is co-sponsored by the President’s Office and Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

For questions or accommodations, please contact James Tobin at [email protected].

Hinton is the third and final speaker in the President's Crossing Boundaries Speaker Series.  In August, the series featured Stephanie Land, author of the bestselling memoir "Maid" about overcoming food and housing insecurity as a single mother while pursuing a dream of a college degree. In September, the series featured Javier Zamora, author of "Solito," which recounts Zamora's nine-week journey from El Salvador to the United States when he was nine years old. These events are free and open to the public. Visit the President's Crossing Boundaries Speakers Series for more information.