Indians of All Tribes & the Occupation of Alcatraz 1969-1971 (webinar)

WEBINAR: Indians of All Tribes & the Occupation of Alcatraz 1969-1971

Date & Time: Jul 11, 2020 @ 11:00 AM PT

Event post: https://sfpl.org/events/2020/07/11/presentation-second-saturday-red-power-and-alcatraz

The National Park Service and the San Francisco Public Library partner to commemorate the ongoing 50th anniversary of the historic occupation of Alcatraz by the Indians of All Tribes.

The panel will be moderated by Kent Blansett (author/educator) and feature Ilka Hartmann (photographer), Kris Longoria (original occupier), Stephen Shames (photographer), and Brooks Townes (photographer/journalist) and will focus on bringing public attention to the exhibit while providing a forum to learn about the occupation.

ABOUT: Indians of All Tribes and the Occupation of Alcatraz (Nov. 20, 1969 – June 11, 1971)

The Native American occupation of this site began on November 20, 1969. Known as Indians of All Tribes, they rooted this action on the fact that the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868), between the U.S. and the Lakota Peoples, outlined that all such retired, abandoned or otherwise unutilized federal land should be returned to the Native people who once occupied it.

Eighty-nine Native Americans led the occupation which, at its height, swelled to a total of
400 Natives and allies. During this time Bay Area supporters, including the Black Panthers, organized boats to deliver food and other essential supplies to the movement.

The occupation held out for 19 months, ending with a forcible intervention by the U.S. government. While the physical occupation ended it sparked and ignited a movement.

The choice of Alcatraz is rife with symbolism, mirroring many Indian reservations, a place with harsh living conditions, land unsuitable for sustainable living and lack of economic possibilities.

For more information on the occupation of Alcatraz, go to: https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/commemorating-50th-anniversary-occupation-alcatraz
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