At the end of the 1960s, the world was witnessing one of the most volatile moments in American history. Accelerated by the unrest caused by the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, many movements had found support and power to rebel against America. A new level of consciousness had been awakened amongst a generation, creating an atmosphere perfect to grab the nation’s attention. One group, calling themselves the Indians of All Tribes (IAT), would get this attention. On November 20 1969, 89 Native Americans sailed to Alcatraz Island, breaking through the Coast Guard blockade and landing on Alcatraz. This moment kicked off one of the most important but often overlooked moments in Native American activism.
The 1969 occupation was not the first use of Alcatraz as a setting for demonstration. In 1964, a group of Sioux activists demonstrated on the island for four hours before leaving after threats from the police. The Sioux activists wanted to bring the government’s attention to the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie which stated that if the government had a surplus of land, the Sioux could claim it. Since the penitentiary on the island had closed, it was argued that the land was no longer under use by the federal government. After this short demonstration, Mohawk student Richard Oakes saw inspiration. After another brief attempt Oakes, his family, and the other activists landed on the Island, successfully occupying Alcatraz for nineteen months. The occupiers ran a school, kitchen, a radio broadcast, and many other systems needed to keep the occupiers living comfortably.
Despite IAT’s attempts, the occupation collapsed after being forcibly ended by the government after nineteen months. The outcome of the occupation did not meet the expectations of the activists, as the government did not return the land to the indigenous holders. Even before its cessation, the occupation had begun to unravel. Oakes’ daughter had fallen to her death on the island, leading Oakes and his wife to leave the island. The island had its power and resources cut off, causing unrest on the island. Non-Native occupiers had started to bring the drug scene onto the island which began to disintegrate the integrity of the occupiers. The last fifteen occupiers were forcibly removed by armed special forces on June 10, 1971.
It seemed like the nineteen months spent occupying the island had come to an unsatisfying end. Yet, despite the failure of the occupation, its impact cannot be understated. The island was not returned, but it did impact government policy, which changed from a policy of termination to a policy of self-determination in the 1970s. It had ushered in a new age for Red Power and Native American activism. Being one of the biggest intertribal acts of rebellion, the Alcatraz occupation had shown the value of tribes working together for a common goal. Pan-Indianism was a crucial part of Native Activism in the 1970s, both the American Indian Movement (AIM) and the Red Power movement continued to value pan-Indianism throughout their time. Its impact extended outside of the Red Power movement, inspiring the Brown Beret occupation of Catalina Island in 1972.
Perhaps the most successful aspect of the occupation was the national attention and support it gained. The occupation received support from other civil rights groups; both the Black Panthers and Brown Berets delivered essentials to the island. In addition, Asian American activists also took part in the support. Outside of activists, the occupation garnered celebrity support, as Jane Fonda and Marlon Brando offered their support. Creedence Clearwater Revival donated funds that enabled the occupiers to buy a boat. With all this support, it seemed like the public was on the side of the occupiers, creating a more favorable atmosphere towards the further 200 cases of demonstrations by Native American activists.
In terms of the Red Power movement, the occupation helped break the stereotype of the Native American activist as a masculine role. Many of the key activists that worked on the island were women. Grace Thorpe, a Sac/Fox activist and island-occupant, was the reason for the celebrity support; she also supplied the island with generators and an ambulance service. Women ran the daycare, health clinic and the school care system on the island. The national media still overlooked womens’ contributions, often placing the stereotype of the male warrior upon men like Richard Oakes and other leaders. Despite this, it inspired many Native American women to start more demonstrations within the movement, the most famous movement of Wounded Knee being initiated by Native American women.
Ultimately, Alcatraz was taken by the U.S. government once again, but the government could not take away what Alcatraz represented. It birthed a movement that continues to fight for Native American rights today. The power of pan-Indianism was recognized, enabling the movement to expand beyond the state level to a national level. The Red Power movement went on to achieve many of the goals it set out to accomplish. By the early 1980s, several laws had been passed to give Native Americans self-determination, religious freedom, and increases in healthcare and education funds. The movement had been inspired by the holding of ‘The Rock’, engendered by a movement strong enough to bring America’s attention to not only the plight of Native Americans but also to the power they possessed.
By Fox Ryan Axworthy