Native Americans Occupy Alcatraz (nov 20, 1969 – jun 11, 1971)

Description:

6 years after the prison was closed, Native Americans decided to reclaim Alcatraz. The center for Native Americans had just burned down, and Alcatraz was technically theirs, based on the Fort Laramie treaty that proclaims any idle federal land is to be returned to the Native Americans. After several failed attempts, they finally made it to the island, and they set up their new home. They stayed there for 19 months, getting immense news coverage and gaining visibility for native people across the country. After almost two years, the U.S. government came in and (relatively peacefully) ended the occupation. Even though natives did not get Alcatraz, they gained visibility and pride. It brought back a sense of identity that many Native Americans had lost, and it sparked a new wave of political activism.