Barry Roberson’s life was upended in March 1996 when he faced a devastating injustice in a Saint Louis County, Missouri, courtroom. Wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit, Barry’s refusal to accept a five-year plea deal led to his conviction by an all-white jury and a harsh 37-year prison sentence. The prosecution and trial judge, both white, systematically excluded all African American jurors from the trial, marginalizing Barry and treating his life as if it did not matter.

Raised in a strict Pentecostal family as the fifth of nine siblings, Barry was the only member of his family to experience incarceration. While enduring the shock of a maximum-security prison, he sought solace through prayer, leading to a profound spiritual awakening. Over two decades of proclaiming his innocence, Barry contacted numerous innocence projects, but his case, devoid of physical evidence, remained unresolved.

After his release in November 2018, Barry embarked on a journey to rebuild his life. Despite initially working low-paying jobs, he remained determined to start his own business. Inspired by his own experience of catastrophic injustice, Barry developed a passion for creating job opportunities for individuals facing rejection and obstacles in rebuilding their lives. In April 2019, with the support of a childhood friend who owned a business and a $14,000 investment from his wife, Barry founded a commercial business through Jan Pro, a nationwide company with a strong presence in Saint Louis County. Barry’s commercial company has a Better Business Bureau A+ rating and has grown to currently employ over 30 men and women in two separate states.

Barry’s resilience and entrepreneurial spirit have turned his painful past into a mission to support and uplift others who have faced similar challenges. Barry’s company is a Missouri Department of Corrections Second Chance Employer and MBE member. In 2022, Grace and Freedom non-profit was established to help formerly incarcerated men and women become successful returning citizens and integrated back into society.