The Darkest Night: An Incarceration Memoir, From Jail to Yale (PB) (2018)

Dr. Herron Keyon Gaston examines the intersectionality of race, gender and class in American society and the ways in which one's status and privilege serves to impede or advance one's progress based on one's ontological and phonotypical makeup.

The crux of this book is to chronicle Dr. Gaston's incarceration experience and to shed light on the grueling judicial process. The book details Dr. Gaston's nine-month stint in the criminal justice system in Florida after being falsely accused of sexual assault, and the impact this experience has had on his life. Dr. Gaston speaks candidly about how his incarceration experience and the blistering repercussions of his arrest have served as a roadblock to securing a plethora of personal and professional opportunities.

Despite the insurmountable challenges formally incarcerated individuals face, Dr. Gaston demonstrates to readers that, with hope and resilience, one does not have to be defined by one's circumstances--but rather one's commitment to picking up the pieces and to keep moving forward.

About the Author

Author Dr. Herron Keyon Gaston is an American public intellectual, theologian, political activist, social critic, author, lecturer, pastor and an Ivy League university administrator. A product of the Deep South, Dr. Gaston has witnessed firsthand racial disparities and the disparate treatment people of color often experience within the criminal justice system and our broader society.