Occupation of Alcatraz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Occupation of Alcatraz |
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| Part of Red Power movement | |||
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Graffiti from the occupation of Alcatraz as it appeared in 2010
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| Date | November 20, 1969 – June 11, 1971 (1 year, 6 months and 22 days) | ||
| Location |
37°49′36″N 122°25′22″W / 37.82667°N 122.42278°W |
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| Caused by | Violations of the Treaty of Fort Laramie | ||
| Goals | Awareness of American Indian oppression | ||
| Parties to the civil conflict | |||
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| Casualties | |||
| Death(s) | One (accidental) | ||
The Occupation of Alcatraz was a protest that lasted 19 months. It began on November 20, 1969, and ended on June 11, 1971. During this time, 89 Native Americans and their supporters took over Alcatraz Island.
The protest was led by Richard Oakes, LaNada Means, and others. John Trudell was the main spokesperson. The group lived on the island together until the U.S. government ended the protest.
The protesters called themselves Indians of All Tribes (IOAT). They believed that, according to the Treaty of Fort Laramie from 1868, all federal land that was no longer in use should be given back to the Native Americans who once lived there. Alcatraz prison had closed in 1963 and the island was declared extra federal property in 1964. Because of this, many Red Power activists felt the island should be returned to Native Americans.
The Occupation of Alcatraz helped change how the government dealt with Native American policies. It also set an example for future Native American protests.
Contents
Why Alcatraz?
Early Claims to Alcatraz
In 1963, a social worker named Belva Cottier learned that the Alcatraz prison was closing. She remembered the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. This treaty stated that unused federal land should be returned to the Lakota tribe. Cottier and her cousin, Richard McKenzie, found a copy of the treaty. They suggested that if Alcatraz was extra government land, the Sioux people could claim it.
On March 8, 1964, a small group of about 40 Sioux people protested on the island for four hours. They offered to buy the island for a very small amount of money, just like the government had offered to Native Americans for their land. The protesters left after being threatened with charges. This event brought more attention to Native American protests in the San Francisco Bay Area.
A New Plan for the Island
The local Native American community first thought about asking the government for Alcatraz formally. They wanted to use the buildings on Alcatraz as a cultural center. But then, there were talks about giving Alcatraz to developers for businesses. This made the community worried.
On October 10, 1969, the San Francisco Indian Center burned down. This center was very important to Native Americans. It provided jobs, health care, legal help, and social events. Losing the center, along with growing tensions with the U.S. government, made Native Americans decide to take action more quickly. They shifted from formal requests to taking over the island.
First Attempts to Occupy
In November 1969, a leader named Adam Fortunate Eagle planned a symbolic takeover. University students Mohawk Richard Oakes and Shoshone-Bannock LaNada Means joined him. They were leaders of the Native American Student Organization at the University of California, Berkeley.
On November 9, 1969, a group of about 75 Native Americans planned to go to the island by boat. But the boats didn't show up. Adam Fortunate Eagle convinced a yacht owner to sail by the island. Oakes, Jim Vaughn, Joe Bill, Ross Harden, and Jerry Hatch jumped into the water. They swam to shore and claimed the island.
The Coast Guard quickly removed them. But later that day, a group of students hired a boat. Fourteen of them made it to the island and stayed overnight. The next day, Oakes read a statement claiming the island. After that, the group left. The students then planned their next takeover for a time when older leaders would be away.
It is important to know that the American Indian Movement (AIM) was not involved in planning this takeover. However, they did send people to Alcatraz later to learn how the protest was going.
The Occupation Begins
In the early morning of November 20, 1969, 89 Native Americans went to occupy Alcatraz Island. This group included more than 30 women, students, married couples, and 6 children. The Coast Guard tried to stop them, but 14 protesters managed to land on the island. The island's guard sent a radio message, saying, "Mayday! Mayday! The Indians have landed!"
At its busiest, about 400 people were living on Alcatraz. Native women played a big role. Linda Aranaydo, Woesha Cloud North, and Vicky Santana ran a school. Stella Leach set up a health clinic. Jennie R. Joe and Dorothy Lonewolf Miller helped as nurses. Doctors also volunteered their time.
People brought food and supplies to the island by canoe. But the Coast Guard made it harder to get supplies through. Aranaydo and Luwana Quitiquit were in charge of the kitchen and cooking for everyone.
Voices of the Occupation
The protesters, many of whom were students, used ideas from other civil rights movements. John Trudell became known as "the Voice of Alcatraz." He made daily radio broadcasts from the island.
LaNada Means was one of the first to arrive and one of the last to leave. She wrote statements and gave speeches explaining why they were occupying the island. She told the media that the occupiers wanted full Native American control of the island. They wanted to build a cultural center there. This center would include Native American studies, a spiritual center, an ecology center, and a museum. The occupiers said the U.S. government had broken many Indian treaties.
Richard Oakes sent a message to the government. He asked them to recognize their claim to the island. He said they wanted peace but were not afraid if the government chose violence.
Many famous people supported the occupation. On Thanksgiving Day, hundreds of supporters came to Alcatraz to celebrate. Celebrities like Jane Fonda, Anthony Quinn, Marlon Brando, and Buffy Sainte-Marie visited the island. They showed their support and helped bring attention to the protest. The band Creedence Clearwater Revival donated $15,000 to buy a boat for transport.
The End of the Occupation
Challenges on the Island
On January 3, 1970, Yvonne Oakes, Richard Oakes's 13-year-old stepdaughter, died in an accident. The Oakes family left the island after this tragedy. Some original occupiers also left to go back to school. Some non-Native people from San Francisco's hippie community also moved to the island. Eventually, non-Native people were not allowed to stay overnight.
Life on the island became harder. John Trudell spoke on "Radio Free Alcatraz" about their problems. Water and electricity were big issues. The government often cut off power and made it hard for water to reach the island. This was an effort to make the occupiers leave.
Declining Support and Removal
After Oakes left, LaNada Means, John Trudell, and Stella Leach worked to keep the occupation going. Means tried to get a $500,000 grant to fix up the island for the cultural center. However, the government refused their proposals. In May 1970, the government began to transfer Alcatraz to the National Park System.
Means tried to find other ways to support the Indians of All Tribes. She believed that if they hired a famous lawyer, they could win their case based on the Treaty of Fort Laramie. But as she traveled to find support, rumors spread that she was looking for personal gain. When she returned, she found that Trudell and the lawyers disagreed with her ideas. This disagreement between Means and Trudell was one reason the occupation struggled.
By late May 1971, the government cut off all electricity and phone service to the island. In June, a fire destroyed many buildings. Without power, fresh water, and with less public support, the number of occupiers became very small. On June 11, 1971, government officers removed the remaining 15 people from the island.
Even though the occupation ended, it is seen as a success. It brought international attention to the challenges faced by Native Americans in the United States. It also inspired more than 200 other Native American protests.
Lasting Impact
The Occupation of Alcatraz directly influenced how the government dealt with Native American policies. It set an example for future Native American activism. President Richard Nixon's government did not agree to all the protesters' demands. However, they were careful not to use force right away.
Nixon's policy began to shift away from ending Native American tribes and towards supporting their self-rule. In July 1970, Nixon said that Native American self-determination should be encouraged.
Many Native American rights protests that followed were inspired by the Alcatraz occupation. These include the Trail of Broken Treaties, the occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Wounded Knee incident, and the Longest Walk. The American Indian Movement learned from Alcatraz that protests could gain national attention without severe punishment.
Alcatraz Island was a strong symbol for Native Americans. Their ancestors had traveled to Alcatraz thousands of years before Europeans arrived. The island was used for camping, hunting, and sometimes for holding lawbreakers. The occupation reminded Native Americans of the island's importance to their people.
The occupation also showed how gender played a role in Native American activism. The media often focused on male leaders. Women like LaNada Means and Stella Leach, who did a lot of important work, received less attention.
Radio Free Alcatraz
The radio station was a very important part of the Alcatraz occupation. It broadcast half-hour programs at least 39 times. These programs were heard by over 100,000 listeners. Today, recordings of these broadcasts are still available.
The radio shows featured discussions with people on the island. The main speaker was John Trudell, a Santee Sioux veteran. The station stopped broadcasting when the government cut off electricity to the island in May 1971. The FBI saw Trudell as a dangerous voice for Native American rights.
Trudell spoke calmly about important issues for Native Americans. He talked about losing ancestral lands, spiritual matters, and problems with water on reservations. He also spoke about differences in health and life expectancy for Native Americans compared to other Americans. Each program started with Buffy Sainte Marie’s song "Now That the Buffalo's Gone".
What Happened Next
After the Alcatraz occupation ended, about 50 of the occupiers went to another abandoned military site in California. They occupied it for three days in June 1971. This occupation ended when police and army troops removed them.
The Alcatraz Occupation greatly influenced the U.S. government's decision to change its policy towards Native Americans. It helped lead to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975. This law gave Native American tribes more control over their own affairs.
The Alcatraz takeover also inspired other protests. For example, the Brown Berets occupied Catalina Island in 1972 during the Chicano Movement.
Today, there is an annual celebration of indigenous people's rights called Unthanksgiving Day. It is held at Alcatraz Island with permission from the National Park Service.
In March 1970, a group in Seattle called the United Indians of All Tribes occupied Fort Lawton. They demanded the return of Native lands that were about to be declared extra. This group and their actions were directly inspired by the Indians of All Tribes and the Alcatraz occupation. One of the people involved, Bernie Whitebear, said that Alcatraz showed them what could be achieved. He believed that Alcatraz continued to live on through the Fort Lawton protest.
See also
In Spanish: Ocupación de Alcatraz para niños
