How Did The Occupation Of Alcatraz Impact The Red Power Movement

Investigation Before the occupation, the island of Alcatraz served as a federal penitentiary until 1963, closing due to the expensive costs for its operation (Cavendish p.1). The San Francisco Bay Center burned down, leaving the Native people in the city without a central community center. Consequently, the Indians began plans to transform the federal penitentiary on the Alcatraz island. It would serve as a living cultural memorial to all Indians in the United States by transforming the prison into an American Indian National Center. The plan consisted on thinking that the federal government would give the Indian people the land as surplus federal land (Shreve p184). As a result, the occupation lasted 18 months, when the protesters were removed

The Occupation of Alcatraz impacted on the Red Power movement, as it set in motion the Indian community. The seizure of the deserted federal prison influenced the movement. However, the Occupation's aim was to terminate treaties such as the Termination Policy of 1953 and at ending the seizure of tribal lands. In addition to claim the island under the name “Indian of All Tribes”, in which they were not successful. However, the occupation did set off a chain of reactions all over the country. The seizure of ‘The Rock’ inspired many takeovers such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C., the takeover in Fort Totten and Wounded knee (Shreve p184). There are many reasons as to why the seizure influenced other movements. Firstly, news footage from the occupation across the United States raised awareness to issues facing the urban Native People in addition to which the seizure of the island also inspired a fresh new wave of intertribal activism. Secondly, the occupation succeeded in pushing the red power movement into the american conscience by assembling massive media exposure. As Carolyn Strange and Tine Loo wrote, “claiming the site of America’s most infamous prison guaranteed the occupiers national and international attention, allowing them to make the point that all federal lands and not just the Rock belonged to Native Americans”. Historians agree that the occupation of Alcatraz was a pivotal event in Indian political history, as Troy Johnson describes it as “catalyst for change”. To enumerate, occupiers such as Richard Oakes, John Trudell, LaNada Means and many others became heroes to young Native people that sought to make a difference (Shreve p184). On the other hand, the by the end of the Occupation of Alcatraz, the Indians were seen as