Occupation of Alcatraz by Claudia Bickford

who

28562_9 — 2024-02-15 20:54:34 UTC

The occupation of Alcatraz was organized by a group of native american college students. The group was led by Richard Oakes, John Truell, and Wilma Mankiller. This is significant because leaders from many different tribes came together to address a common problem. This unity is inspiring.

why

28562_9 — 2024-02-15 20:54:48 UTC

The Treaty of Fort Laramie stated that unused lands that originally belonged to Native communities should be returned to them. Once Alcatraz prison closed the students took over the island which was once Native territory. The protesters wanted to draw attention to Native American oppression, and build a Native American center.

when & where

28562_9 — 2024-02-15 20:54:59 UTC

The occupation began in November of 1969 and lasted nineteen months. It ended in June of 1971. The occupation was of Alcatraz Island, California. Alcatraz is a small island off the coast of San Fransisco that used to host a maximum security prison.

what

28562_9 — 2024-02-15 20:55:07 UTC

Some protesters swam to Alcatraz and others took a boat to the island. On the island, everyone was assigned a job such as taking care of the sick and growing food. The protest received both positive and negative media attention, however, support slowly dwindled and the protesters struggled to survive. When Richard Oakes's daughter died he left the island. The protest fell apart without their leader.

how it affected rights

28562_9 — 2024-02-15 20:55:13 UTC

The protesters were eventually kicked off of the island, but they attracted a lot of attention from the media which spread awareness. The occupation inspired many protests and revived a sense of Native American pride. The protest led to the end of the United States' termination policy. In general, the protest led to a greater appreciation for Native culture and new policies to end discrimination towards Native Americans.