The Fortune Society is a New York City-based non-profit organization that provides support to the formerly incarcerated. Some of the services offered include help with finding housing and jobs, adjusting to civilian life, and educational opportunities. It was founded by

David Rothenberg David Rothenberg (born 1962) is a professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with a special interest in animal sounds as music. He is also a composer and jazz musician whose books and recordings reflect a long ...

in 1967 as a result of his experience at

Riker's Island Rikers Island is a prison island in the East River in the Bronx, New York, United States, that contains New York City's largest jail. Named after Abraham Rycken, who took possession of the island in 1664, the island was originally under in ...

while researching for the play ''

Fortune and Men's Eyes ''Fortune and Men's Eyes'' is a 1967 play and 1971 film written by John Herbert about a young man's experience in prison, exploring themes of homosexuality and sexual slavery. Plot of the play The plot follows Smitty, a 17-year-old, after he is ...

''.

History

John Herbert, the author of ''Fortune and Men's Eyes'', had been incarcerated as an altercation had caused a mass roundup by police. The judge sentenced him to prison due to his ambiguous gender presentation. Inspired by the play and Herbert's experience at Rikers, Rothenberg channeled a passion for activism into a non-profit advocacy organization and called it the Fortune Society in honor of the play. By the time the play premiered in Canada, the Fortune Society had been created. Initially, the organization began as discussion forums at the Actor's Playhouse featuring a diverse set of participants including parole officers, elected officials, and the formerly incarcerated among others. Pat McGarry and Clarence Cooper, author of '' The Farm'', agreed on an organization called the Fortune Society, from the play's title, which had been taken from a Shakespearian

sonnet A sonnet is a fixed poetic form with a structure traditionally consisting of fourteen lines adhering to a set Rhyme scheme, rhyming scheme. The term derives from the Italian word ''sonetto'' (, from the Latin word ''sonus'', ). Originating in ...

, "When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state." Rothenberg's office on West 46th Street in New York City became the de facto headquarters of the organization and the group began fundraising at Tuesday night discussions. In an effort to raise awareness, four men from the society went on ''

The David Susskind Show ''The David Susskind Show'' is an American television talk show hosted by David Susskind which was broadcast from 1958 to 1986. The program began locally in New York City in 1958 as ''Open End'', which referred to the fact that the program was op ...

''. Clarence Cooper, Frank Sandiford, Eddie Morris, and Rob Freeley were panelists on the show, leveraging their social status and celebrity. Susskind informed the audience that the men were all part of a new organization and to connect to them at the Fortune Society at their office address. The next day 250 former convicts were lined up outside Rothenberg's small theater office, anticipating an organization that could help them with employment and housing. Mel Rivers also came that day to see what the organization was all about, resulting in Rivers, Jackson, McGarry, and Cooper starting as the core of the Fortune Society. Rothenberg began arranging for the formerly incarcerated to come to the Fortune Society to attend Broadway plays. He recruited his close friend and colleague Alvin Ailey to join the organization, and provide tickets for those the society was trying to help. Kenny Jackson joked that when you get out of prison in New York, “you get $40, a baloney sandwich, and two tickets to Alvin Ailey.”

Attica Prison riot

Around this time, the

Attica Prison riot The Attica Prison riot took place at the state prison in Attica, New York; it started on September 9, 1971, and ended on September 13 with the highest number of fatalities in the history of United States prison uprisings. Of the 43 men who di ...

broke out. Rothenberg was included on the prisoners' shortlist for civilian observers. This prompted

Arthur Eve Arthur Owen Eve (born March 23, 1933) is a retired American politician who served as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly (1967–2002) and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly (1979–2002) representing districts in Buffalo, New Yor ...

's office to call on him and recruit him for that role. He was among the three dozen men called in to Attica as observers. The group unanimously agreed to send a smaller delegation to represent observers. The delegation included

William Kunstler William Moses Kunstler (July 7, 1919 – September 4, 1995) was an American attorney and civil rights activist, known for defending the Chicago Seven. Kunstler was an active member of the National Lawyers Guild, a board member of the American Ci ...

Tom Wicker Thomas Grey Wicker (June 18, 1926 – November 25, 2011) was an American journalist. He was best known as a political reporter and columnist for ''The New York Times'' for nearly three decades. Besides writing non-fiction books about U.S. ...

of ''The New York Times'', congressman

Herman Badillo Herman Badillo ( , ; August 21, 1929 – December 3, 2014) was an American lawyer and politician who served as borough president of The Bronx and United States Representative, and ran for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican e ...

and state senator John R. Dunne, who returned to New York to plead with Governor

Nelson Rockefeller Nelson Aldrich "Rocky" Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979) was the 41st vice president of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford. He was also the 49th governor of New York, serving from 1959 to 197 ...

, only to find he had ordered troops to take over the prison. The

takeover In business, a takeover is the purchase of one company (the ''target'') by another (the ''acquirer'' or ''bidder''). In the UK, the term refers to the acquisition of a public company whose shares are publicly listed, in contrast to the acquisi ...

was violent and there were many casualties. After the dust settled, four prisoners' bodies remained unclaimed. The Fortune Society made arrangements for these men to receive proper funerals. The Attica Prison riot raised awareness of the conditions prisoners faced during incarceration. These events spurred Rothenberg's many friends and colleagues to work with other theater professionals to host additional fundraising events. Notables including

Arlene Francis Arlene Francis (born Arline Francis Kazanjian; October 20, 1907 – May 31, 2001) was an American game show panelist, actress, radio and television talk show host. She is best known for her long-running role as a panelist on the television game ...

Melba Moore Beatrice Melba Smith (born October 29, 1945) known by her stage name Melba Moore, is an American singer and actress. Biography Early life and education Moore was born Beatrice Melba Smith on October 29, 1945, in New York City to Gertrude Melba ...

Zoe Caldwell Zoe Ada Caldwell (14 September 1933 – 16 February 2020) was an Australian actress. She was a four-time Tony Award winner, winning Best Featured Actress in a Play for '' Slapstick Tragedy'' (1966), and Best Actress in a Play for '' The Prim ...

, and

Christopher Reeve Christopher D'Olier Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, activist, director, and author. He amassed Christopher Reeve on stage and screen, several stage and screen credits in his 34-year career, including playin ...

supported the organization and raised funds. In addition, Attica prison publicized the Fortune Society to its prisoner population. Many volunteers offered to help after Attica, providing tutoring and secretarial services. The model tutoring program that still runs today was created at this time, offering classes for illiteracy, general educational development testing and college preparation, as well as career services. The society grew in office space and participants with the collaboration of educational institutions.

HIV/AIDS care

At the start of the

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

epidemic, the society received letters from inmates with tales of men dying of strange diseases. Rothenberg sent literature from the

Gay Men's Health Crisis The GMHC (formerly Gay Men's Health Crisis) is a New York City–based non-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based AIDS service organization whose mission statement is to "end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected." Foun ...

to Deputy Commissioner Marty Horn, who said they could not allow literature with the word gay in it. After discussion with Gay Men's Health Crisis, the word was never spelled out and the wardens permitted the brochures to enter. Thus, the New York City Department of Corrections took its first step in recognizing the epidemic's effect on the inmate population. A 2001 study described how the Fortune Society prepares

HIV-positive people HIV-positive people, seropositive people or people who live with HIV are people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus which if untreated may progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). According to estimat ...

to leave incarceration and take care of their health upon release.

Operations

The Fortune Society provides a series of counseling services and seeks to accept clients who want to participate. Attending the services, both with trained professionals and peer to peer activities, is essential to the program. In 2005 the organization's annual budget was $13-14 million. This budget supported 200 staff who provided services to 3000-3500 formerly incarcerated persons each year. The cost of service per client was $3,265. A 2005 evaluation of the Fortune Society attempted to determine the efficacy of the programs. The study praised the work of the Fortune Society as being focused on its mission, but also noted that many of its clients later are arrested again. The study discussed various effects of rehabilitation programs and framed the Fortune Society as a net good.

References

External links

* {{official, http://fortunesociety.org 1967 establishments in New York City Organizations established in 1967 Non-profit organizations based in New York City Advocacy groups in the United States Prison-related organizations Organizations based in Queens, New York Long Island City