Eldy Bratt, 33, walks down the lonely corridor of a cell block
Eldy Bratt, 33, walks down the lonely corridor of a cell block, 1969. Richard Drew/Associated Press.
Lorraine Parrish of Berkeley preparing stew
Lorraine Parrish of Berkeley preparing stew, 1969. Alcatraz Indian Occupation. Associated Press.
A group of Native American stands under graffiti welcoming Indian occupiers to United Indian Property on the dock of Alcatraz Island
A group of Native American stands under graffiti welcoming Indian occupiers to United Indian Property on the dock of Alcatraz Island, Nov. 25, 1969. San Francisco Bay, California, Associated Press.
Background
Many civil rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s demanded equal citizenship under the law. By contrast, the indigenous civil rights movement demanded a separation from the law and a recognition of independence from colonization. After centuries of oppression and erasure, achieving sovereignty and maintaining cultural integrity were the goals of indigenous activists.
In 1963, the United States government closed the federal prison located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. By 1964, the government declared the island part of its federal surplus. From November 1969 through June 1971, an organized group of hundreds of indigenous activists occupied Alcatraz Island. The group pointed out that the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie between the United States and the Sioux stated that any surplus federal lands would be returned to the indigenous people who once called it home. By this logic, Alcatraz Island rightly belonged to the Lakota. In addition to claiming control of the island, the occupiers also demanded the return of all stolen lands to their rightful owners.
The occupiers referred to themselves as Indians of All Tribes (IOAT) to reflect the multi-tribe coalition that formed on the island. The participants were primarily college and graduate students from California. They were led by Richard Oakes and LaNada War Jack, among others. LaNada War Jack was the first Native American student to attend the University of California Berkeley and the chairwoman of the campus Native American Student Organization.
Organizing a 19-month occupation required intense coordination. The island had no electricity and no running water. All supplies arrived by boat. Everyone had a job, and decisions were made by consensus. Women took on much of the day-to-day operations of the island, including management of the kitchen, school, day care, and health center. Whil