The Long History of Alcatraz Island, California

Alcatraz - Page 8

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Though initially, government negotiators insisted that the occupiers could have none of these and insisted that the Indians leave the island, the government soon adopted a position of non-interference. This position was taken largely due to the strong public support of the Native Americans and their demands. Advocates from show business celebrities to the Hell’s Angels supported the Indian occupation and federal officials began to meet with the Native Americans.

Often sitting cross-legged on blankets inside the old mess-hall, the Indians and officials discussed the social needs of the Native Americans.

Alcatraz Indian Occupation

Alcatraz Indian Occupation, photo by Ilka Hartman,

courtesy California State University

While it appeared to the Indian occupants, that their demand might actually be met, the government was, in fact, playing a waiting game, hoping that public support would wane and the Indians would voluntarily end the occupation. At one point, the government offered a portion of Fort Miley in San Francisco, as an alternative site to Alcatraz. But, by this time, the Indians were too dedicated to their cause, refusing any alternatives.

Less than two months after the initial occupation, the Indian group began to fall into disarray, with two groups rising in opposition to Richard Oakes. In the meantime, many of the Indian students returned to school in January, 1970. Gradually, the students were replaced by other Indians who were not involved in the initial occupation.

During this time, many non-Indians also began to take up residency on the island, including the homeless and many from the San Francisco hippie and drug culture.

Organization virtually fell apart when Richard Oake’s 13 year old stepdaughter fell three floors down a stairwell to her death. Following her death, Oakes left the island, leaving it without a strong leader. The two competing groups then began to maneuver back and forth for leadership.

The Indians also found themselves faced with the same problems that had hindered both the military and prison administrations – the lack of natural resources and the requirement that all supplies, food, and water be ferried by boat. The process was not only exhausting, but also extremely expensive.

Despite the prohibition of drugs and alcohol by the Indians, the contraband soon began to be brought onto the island by the many non-Native Americans who had also encamped upon Alcatraz. Without strong leadership, the situation quickly became unmanageable and the organization of the community fell apart. Daily reports from the government caretaker on the island, as well as complaints from the remaining original occupants, described the open use of drugs, destruction of property including graffiti and vandalism, and the general disarray of leadership.

Without the equalitarian form of government that was supposed to prevail, there was no one with whom the government could negotiate.

Alcatraz Fire In response, the government, in an attempt to evacuate the island, shut off all electrical power and removed the water barge which provided fresh water for those occupying the island. Three days after the removal of the water barge, on June 1, 1970, a fire was accidentally started and raged through several of the buildings. When the blaze finally died out, the Warden's home, the lighthouse keeper's residence, and the Officers' Club were burned to the ground. Also severely damaged was the historic lighthouse built in 1854.

The Native Americans were soon forced to resort to drastic measures in order to survive and began to strip copper wiring and tubing from the buildings to sell as scrap metal. Three of the occupiers were arrested and found guilty of selling some 600 pounds of copper. This story, along with other news of the events taking place on the island began to be told in the press. Before long, little support could be found for the Indian occupation.

In January, 1971, when two oil tankers collided in the San Francisco Bay, it pushed the federal government into action. Though no blame was held against the occupiers of the island, a removal plan began to be developed. Designed to take place with as little force as possible and at a time that the smallest number of people were on the island, the forced removal took place on June 10, 1971.

On that date, the occupation ended when 20 armed federal marshals, assisted by the Coast Guard, swarmed the island, removing five women, four children, and six unarmed Indian men.

Though the specific demands for the island itself were not realized, the initial underlying goals of the first occupants were to awaken the American public to the reality of the Native American plight. As a result, the official government policy of termination of Indian tribes was ended and a new policy of Indian self-determination was recognized.

The occupation also resulted in the return of Blue Lake and some 48.000 acres of land to the Taos Indians, a Native American University near Davis, California, and hiring of Native Americans to the Bureau of Indian Affairs offices in Washington, D.C.

The occupation was the longest of any federal facility by Native Americans to this day.

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