Rudolph Alexander, Jr. PhD - death row to PhD

Consider spending time on death row and turning that experience into the drive to get a doctorate? In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with Professor Rudolph Alexander, Jr., author of “To Ascend Into The Shining World Again.”
As a 17 year old student, Rudolph Alexander found himself in a threatening situation in which he felt compelled to shoot another man. His trial, in which he felt he was badly misrepresented by his attorney, he was convicted and sentenced to death by the electric chair in the State of Georgia.
Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1968, Rudolph’s sentence was changed to life imprisonment. He was later granted trusty status, which aided him in securing parole in 1975.
Rebounding from his ordeal, Alexander began college, earning four degrees, including a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Minnesota. Presently Alexander is a full professor at Ohio State University.
We spoke with Rudolph Alexander from his home in Ohio on October 26th 2009 and began by asking him to reflect on the extremes he has experienced in his life.

The book Rudolph Alexander recommends is “My Grandfather’s Son: A Memoir” by Justice Clarence Thomas, of the United States Supreme Court.