Jesus Polanco
Stephanie Hernandez
April 16, 2014
History 173
Occupation of Alcatraz
Alcatraz Island originally belonged to American Indians but was used by the U.S Government as a prison for some of the most notorious felons until the penitentiary shut down in 1963. The Occupation of Alcatraz was an event where American Indians protested and peacefully occupied Alcatraz Island for nineteen months, from November 1969 to June 1971. They felt that Alcatraz Island was a place of isolation in their history, where peace and healing powers could be encountered. After a fire hit the city of San Francisco, Secretary Walter Hickel proposed the idea to renovate the Island into a National Park and the protestors disagreed and took action. The protest was about human rights, American Indians demanded their land back and respect for the American Indian people. Fourteen young college student activists started the protest, and eventually the number grew to over 400 people. [1]
Richard Oakes, a Mohawk Native American activist, was the leader of the group of students and urban Indians in the occupation of Alcatraz Island. He led various college students from UCLA into the occupation of Alcatraz.[2] He was known as the leader of the island due to him being able to occupy the island after various unsuccessful attempts by other tribes. His idea of swimming into the island instead of trying to occupy it by land made it the most successful and longest occupation of the island. Once Richard Oakes and his followers occupied the island, there was no outside interference for over a year. During the occupation of the island, all of the people involved obtained a job whether it dealt with teaching, cleaning, or other jobs. After only three months of occupation, there was a school established. There were various native Indians that taught traditional native arts and crafts which include: woodcarving, costume decoration, dancing, and various forms of music. [3]There was a council set up where all decisions were made by the people, and it was done fairly by a unanimous decision. Seeing the success of the occupation of the island, the inhabitants wanted to start their own Indian University, and various other institutions that would benefit their inhabitants.
However, as time passed, it became harder for inhabitants to live on the island. Many Indian groups started to become jealous of the attention the media was giving Richard Oakes, which produced leadership struggles. In 1970, Richard Oakes’ step daughter passed away, and he left the island. Once he left, more students started losing interest and leaving the island as well to return to school. As months passed people began to leave and lose motivation. Since students made up most of the protestors, their numbers took a hit as they returned back to school. On June 1971, there were about 15 people left on the island and the government removed them by force. The takeover ended forcibly but it didn’t fall into deaf ears because it gained national attention. The news of what happened ignited over 100 cases of civil defiance from Native Americans around the country, which soon caught the attention of the federal government.
At this time the government had the Indian Termination Policy, where the United States would have power to claim Indian reservations and also allowed to be involved with the American society, its purpose was to end Tribes’ status as independent nations.[4] After the events that occurred after the takeover of Alcatraz and cases of civil disobedience around the country, the federal government decided to end its’ policy of termination and implement a new policy of Indian Self-Determination Act, where tribes would have overall authority of how their assets are distributed.[5] In the early 1970’s, over 50 laws were proposed in support of Native Americans. These new proposals included many topics such as, scholarship funds, recovery centers, health care and many more. After these new laws, the American Indian Movement, led by many educated American Indians, began to protest around the country and began seizing federal facilities, which belonged to them.
The occupation of the island was a successful protest for American Indians. The policy of termination of Indian tribes came to an end. It sparked the growth of many American Indian activists and protests. Because of this event, the American Indian people were able to get their concerns heard at national level. Violence was not used in the takeover or in the series of protests that followed. Due the results of what happened, the laws implemented in the 1970’s, are the ones that the American Indian people live with today. The Successful occupation of Alcatraz is still celebrated today by having a day where the rights of indigenous people are celebrated. [6]American Indians gained the respect for their original land rights, and thanks to that have been able to keep their traditional cultures.
[1] United States. National Park Service. "Alcatraz Occupation." http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/alcatraz-occupation.htm (accessed April 7, 2014).
[2] Troy, Johnson. National Park Service. “The Alcatraz Indian Occupation.” http://www.nps.gov/alca/historyculture/we-hold-the-rock.htm (accessed April 8, 2014).
[3] Johnson, Troy. National Park Service. “The Alcatraz Indian Occupation.” http://www.nps.gov/alca/historyculture/we-hold-the-rock.htm (accessed April 8, 2014).
[4] Shaping San Francisco’s Digital Archive. “Alcatraz Proclamation.” http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=ALCATRAZ_Proclamation (accessed April 7, 2014).
[5] PBS. "Alcatraz is Not an Island." http://www.pbs.org/itvs/alcatrazisnotanisland/activism.html (accessed April 7, 2014).
[6] Native Village. “1969 Occupation of Alcatraz” http://www.nativevillage.org/Inspiration/Occupation%20of%20Alcatraz%20and%20the%20Alcatraz%20Proclamation%20alcatraz_proclamation.htm (accessed April 7, 2014).
Bibliography
Johnson, Troy. National Park Service. “The Alcatraz Indian Occupation.”
http://www.nps.gov/alca/historyculture/we-hold-the-rock.htm
(accessed April 8, 2014).
Native Village. “1969 Occupation of Alcatraz”
http://www.nativevillage.org/Inspiration/Occupation%20of%20Alcatraz%20and%20the%20Alcatraz%20Proclamation%20alcatraz_proclamation.htm
(accessed April 7, 2014).
PBS. "Alcatraz is Not an Island." http://www.pbs.org/itvs/alcatrazisnotanisland/activism.html (accessed April 7, 2014).
"Smithsonian Source." Smithsonian Source. http://www.smithsoniansource.org/display/primarysource/viewdetails.as x?PrimarySourceId=1027 (accessed April 7, 2014).
Shaping San Francisco’s Digital Archive. “Alcatraz Proclamation.”
http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=ALCATRAZ_Proclamation
(accessed April 7, 2014).
United States. National Park Service. "Alcatraz Occupation." http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/alcatraz-occupation.htm
(accessed April 7, 2014).
Stephanie Hernandez
April 16, 2014
History 173
Occupation of Alcatraz
Alcatraz Island originally belonged to American Indians but was used by the U.S Government as a prison for some of the most notorious felons until the penitentiary shut down in 1963. The Occupation of Alcatraz was an event where American Indians protested and peacefully occupied Alcatraz Island for nineteen months, from November 1969 to June 1971. They felt that Alcatraz Island was a place of isolation in their history, where peace and healing powers could be encountered. After a fire hit the city of San Francisco, Secretary Walter Hickel proposed the idea to renovate the Island into a National Park and the protestors disagreed and took action. The protest was about human rights, American Indians demanded their land back and respect for the American Indian people. Fourteen young college student activists started the protest, and eventually the number grew to over 400 people. [1]
Richard Oakes, a Mohawk Native American activist, was the leader of the group of students and urban Indians in the occupation of Alcatraz Island. He led various college students from UCLA into the occupation of Alcatraz.[2] He was known as the leader of the island due to him being able to occupy the island after various unsuccessful attempts by other tribes. His idea of swimming into the island instead of trying to occupy it by land made it the most successful and longest occupation of the island. Once Richard Oakes and his followers occupied the island, there was no outside interference for over a year. During the occupation of the island, all of the people involved obtained a job whether it dealt with teaching, cleaning, or other jobs. After only three months of occupation, there was a school established. There were various native Indians that taught traditional native arts and crafts which include: woodcarving, costume decoration, dancing, and various forms of music. [3]There was a council set up where all decisions were made by the people, and it was done fairly by a unanimous decision. Seeing the success of the occupation of the island, the inhabitants wanted to start their own Indian University, and various other institutions that would benefit their inhabitants.
However, as time passed, it became harder for inhabitants to live on the island. Many Indian groups started to become jealous of the attention the media was giving Richard Oakes, which produced leadership struggles. In 1970, Richard Oakes’ step daughter passed away, and he left the island. Once he left, more students started losing interest and leaving the island as well to return to school. As months passed people began to leave and lose motivation. Since students made up most of the protestors, their numbers took a hit as they returned back to school. On June 1971, there were about 15 people left on the island and the government removed them by force. The takeover ended forcibly but it didn’t fall into deaf ears because it gained national attention. The news of what happened ignited over 100 cases of civil defiance from Native Americans around the country, which soon caught the attention of the federal government.
At this time the government had the Indian Termination Policy, where the United States would have power to claim Indian reservations and also allowed to be involved with the American society, its purpose was to end Tribes’ status as independent nations.[4] After the events that occurred after the takeover of Alcatraz and cases of civil disobedience around the country, the federal government decided to end its’ policy of termination and implement a new policy of Indian Self-Determination Act, where tribes would have overall authority of how their assets are distributed.[5] In the early 1970’s, over 50 laws were proposed in support of Native Americans. These new proposals included many topics such as, scholarship funds, recovery centers, health care and many more. After these new laws, the American Indian Movement, led by many educated American Indians, began to protest around the country and began seizing federal facilities, which belonged to them.
The occupation of the island was a successful protest for American Indians. The policy of termination of Indian tribes came to an end. It sparked the growth of many American Indian activists and protests. Because of this event, the American Indian people were able to get their concerns heard at national level. Violence was not used in the takeover or in the series of protests that followed. Due the results of what happened, the laws implemented in the 1970’s, are the ones that the American Indian people live with today. The Successful occupation of Alcatraz is still celebrated today by having a day where the rights of indigenous people are celebrated. [6]American Indians gained the respect for their original land rights, and thanks to that have been able to keep their traditional cultures.
[1] United States. National Park Service. "Alcatraz Occupation." http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/alcatraz-occupation.htm (accessed April 7, 2014).
[2] Troy, Johnson. National Park Service. “The Alcatraz Indian Occupation.” http://www.nps.gov/alca/historyculture/we-hold-the-rock.htm (accessed April 8, 2014).
[3] Johnson, Troy. National Park Service. “The Alcatraz Indian Occupation.” http://www.nps.gov/alca/historyculture/we-hold-the-rock.htm (accessed April 8, 2014).
[4] Shaping San Francisco’s Digital Archive. “Alcatraz Proclamation.” http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=ALCATRAZ_Proclamation (accessed April 7, 2014).
[5] PBS. "Alcatraz is Not an Island." http://www.pbs.org/itvs/alcatrazisnotanisland/activism.html (accessed April 7, 2014).
[6] Native Village. “1969 Occupation of Alcatraz” http://www.nativevillage.org/Inspiration/Occupation%20of%20Alcatraz%20and%20the%20Alcatraz%20Proclamation%20alcatraz_proclamation.htm (accessed April 7, 2014).
Bibliography
Johnson, Troy. National Park Service. “The Alcatraz Indian Occupation.”
http://www.nps.gov/alca/historyculture/we-hold-the-rock.htm
(accessed April 8, 2014).
Native Village. “1969 Occupation of Alcatraz”
http://www.nativevillage.org/Inspiration/Occupation%20of%20Alcatraz%20and%20the%20Alcatraz%20Proclamation%20alcatraz_proclamation.htm
(accessed April 7, 2014).
PBS. "Alcatraz is Not an Island." http://www.pbs.org/itvs/alcatrazisnotanisland/activism.html (accessed April 7, 2014).
"Smithsonian Source." Smithsonian Source. http://www.smithsoniansource.org/display/primarysource/viewdetails.as x?PrimarySourceId=1027 (accessed April 7, 2014).
Shaping San Francisco’s Digital Archive. “Alcatraz Proclamation.”
http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=ALCATRAZ_Proclamation
(accessed April 7, 2014).
United States. National Park Service. "Alcatraz Occupation." http://www.nps.gov/goga/historyculture/alcatraz-occupation.htm
(accessed April 7, 2014).
Alcatraz Island
(thenativepress.com)
(thenativepress.com)
Alcatraz Island
(thenativepress.com)
(thenativepress.com)
Richard Oakes
(PBS.org)
(PBS.org)
Article depicting the event that occurred on Alcatraz Island
(http://blog.mrpetermore.com)
(http://blog.mrpetermore.com)