In Celebration of Dr. John Irwin

May 21, 1929 - January 3, 2010

If you wanted to set your watch at San Quentin’s North Block, all you had to do was look up and see John Irwin walking up to the entrance, and you’d know it was 3:00 p.m. In his constant search for the latest news on lifers, and sharing with the men in blue the news of the outside world, John brought those of us who were honored to know him reassurances that someone was trying to right the sinking ship of the lifer population. With his own carnal knowledge of incarceration, coupled with his remarkable academic success thereafter, John was truly a man of his convictions! His warm smile and friendly curiosity leave an unforgettable intimate legacy, while his string of books over the years dealing with the failed philosophy of modern incarceration in the U.S. leaves a permanent benchmark for legislative leaders to heed. His last book, Lifers, is particularly meaningful because it describes the very personal struggle many of us have shared. Thank you, John, for your love and your service to the free and the incarcerated communities over so many years!

—John Dannenberg

San Francisco State University has established the John Irwin Memorial
Scholarship for students participating in Project Rebound, which John founded over 40 years ago to support ex-convicts enrolled at SF State.

Donations to the scholarship fund can be made as checks to:
University Corporation, SF State, with the memo “John Irwin
Memorial Scholarship.” Mailing address is: San Francisco State
University, 1600 Holloway Ave RM 153, San Francisco, CA
94132-1722, Attn: Andrea Rouah.

Online giving is also possible by accessing:
https://www.applyweb.com/public/contribute?s=sfubehve
Under “About Your Gift” select “Other” and type in
“John Irwin Memorial Scholarship.”