The 19-month standoff that turned Alcatraz from federal prison into Indian territory

Alcatraz Island

After a fire destroyed San Francisco’s American Indian Center in October 1969, activists set their sights on unused Alcatraz Island.

They claimed it under the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, which said unused federal land should return to Native peoples. Here’s how the 19-month takeover unfolded, at a place you can visit today.

San Francisco Indian Center Fire Sparks Action

A fire burned down the San Francisco Indian Center on October 10, 1969. This center helped urban Native Americans find jobs, get healthcare, and receive legal help. Without it, many people had nowhere to turn for these services.

This loss pushed Native activists to take action. Richard Oakes, a Mohawk student, led a small group to Alcatraz on November 9, 1969. They stayed one night before being removed.

The Landing That Started The Occupation

On the night of November 20, 1969, eighty-nine Native Americans got past Coast Guard boats and reached Alcatraz.

They arrived in boats from supporters at a Sausalito bar. The group included college students, families with children, and Native Americans from many tribes. They moved into the old warden’s house and guards’ quarters. Some painted messages on walls.

Despite the cold and harsh conditions, they were ready to start a new community on the island.

The Alcatraz Proclamation

The occupiers wrote a message to “The Great White Father and All His People.” They offered to buy Alcatraz for “$24 in glass beads and red cloth,” mocking how Europeans once bought Manhattan from Native Americans.

They planned to build a cultural center, school, and museum on the island. Their statement pointed out how Alcatraz was like reservations: isolated, with no fresh water, poor facilities, and few jobs.

Radio Free Alcatraz Broadcasts The Message

John Trudell, a Santee Sioux activist, started Radio Free Alcatraz on December 22, 1969. Radio stations in Berkeley, Los Angeles, and New York aired these 30-minute shows to over 100,000 listeners.

Each show began with Buffy Sainte-Marie’s song about Native struggles. Trudell interviewed people on the island about life on reservations, broken treaties, and their goals.

Daily Life During The Occupation

The people on Alcatraz created a working community with clear jobs. They set up a council to make decisions, a medical clinic, a school for children, and a security team they jokingly called the “Bureau of Caucasian Affairs.”

Getting water and electricity was always hard. Boats brought food and supplies donated by supporters. Famous people like Jane Fonda and Marlon Brando visited to show support. At its busiest time, about 400 people lived on the island.

Tragedy Strikes The Oakes Family

On January 3, 1970, thirteen-year-old Yvonne Oakes fell down a concrete stairwell. She was the stepdaughter of Richard Oakes, a main leader of the occupation. Yvonne died from her injuries five days later.

Heartbroken, Richard Oakes and his family left the island. This sad event changed the course of the occupation. LaNada Means and John Trudell took over leadership, but the group was never as unified as before.

Government Negotiations Reach Impasse

Robert Robertson from the National Council on Indian Opportunity talked with the Native American representatives. The government offered to build a park on Alcatraz with Native American involvement.

In March 1970, they proposed a cultural center run by the Park Service with Native staff. They also said they would look into creating a Native American university. The occupiers rejected these offers.

They wanted full ownership of the island, and neither side would compromise.

Internal Conflicts And Declining Support

Many college students who started the occupation left to go back to school in early 1970. New people moved in who cared less about the movement’s goals. Non-Native hippies and people with drug problems came to the island, causing trouble.

Different groups of occupiers argued about what to do with Alcatraz. Leaders banned non-Indians from staying overnight, but public support was already dropping. News stories began focusing on problems instead of the occupation’s goals.

The June 1970 Fire Changes Everything

A big fire burned several buildings on Alcatraz on June 1, 1970. The warden’s house, lighthouse keeper’s home, and Officers’ Club were destroyed. The government had cut power to the island in May, forcing people to use candles and oil lamps.

Both sides blamed each other for starting the fire. The damaged lighthouse couldn’t guide ships in the bay anymore. More people turned against the occupation after this destruction of historic buildings.

Final Days Of The Occupation

By early 1971, fewer than 30 people remained on Alcatraz. In January, two ships crashed near the Golden Gate Bridge, spilling oil into the bay. Officials blamed the accident on the broken lighthouse.

Life on the island had gotten much worse without power, running water, or regular supplies. President Nixon’s team decided it was time to end the occupation. The government made plans to take back the island.

Visiting Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island exists in San Francisco Bay, accessible only by ferry from Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing at The Embarcadero. Advance reservations are strongly recommended as tickets often sell out weeks ahead, especially during summer and holidays.

The National Park Service offers several tour options, including the main Cellhouse Audio Tour narrated by former inmates and guards. You can explore the Main Prison Building, Officers’ Quarters ruins, and the Parade Grounds.

Don’t miss the Water Tower with preserved occupation graffiti reading “Peace and Freedom.”

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