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In late November 1969, Native Americans would begin along, well-documented protestby occupying Alcatraz Island, the site of the decommissioned federal prison.
In anticipation of the 50th anniversary, a search through The Chronicle’s archives turned up an unexpected discovery — photos of two previous attempts by Native American groups to take over the island, not seen in more than 50 years.
<<< See more photos of the earlier occupation of Alcatraz here >>>
Alcatraz’s prison closed on March 21, 1963, with the final 27 inmates taken by boat to the mainland and sent to other federal prisons. An interim warden was named, but the island was largely abandoned.
关于a year later, five members of the Sioux tribe, with a lawyer and reporters in tow, landed on the island.
“Five Sioux Indians with provisions for 30 days pounded claim stakes into the rocky soil of Alcatraz yesterday,” Chronicle reporter Keith Power wrote on the front page of the March 9, 1964, Chronicle.
Elliot Leighton, attorney for the group, explained that under an 1868 treaty, the Sioux claimants had every right to stake a claim to federal property “not being used for specific purposes.”
美国集团提供相同的价格land that the government had offered Native Americans in compensation for lands white settlers seized — 47 cents per acre. For Alcatraz, that was $5.64.
“The gesture didn’t impress the warden,” Power wrote, who had been called back from a weekend away on the mainland to confront them, backed by U.S. marshals.
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After three hours, the group left Alcatraz because the warden reportedly told their leader, Allen “Whistler” Cottier: “These guys are going to get out of here, or they are going to get scratched up.”
“We achieved our purpose, staking our claim,” Cottier said. “We left under threat of violence by the warden.”
“Our claim is in the mail,” the lawyer said later. “It’s up to the government to accept it or reject it. If they reject it, then we’ll file suit and fight it out in federal courts.”
Five years later, another group of 14 Native Americans arrived on Alcatraz to take over the abandoned island. Initially a much larger group was on its way.
“Seventy-five Indians originally had intended to land on the island yesterday morning in an armada of five borrowed pleasure boats,” Chronicle reporter Tim Finley wrote on Nov. 10, 1969. But when the fleet failed to show up, the group made a deal with a Vancouver captain of a 138-foot ship who “sympathized with the underdog.”
The owner of the Monte Cristo kept the vessel 100 yards offshore while five people swam to Alcatraz and briefly claimed the island before the caretaker threatened to summon U.S. marshals.
But it wasn’t over.
“The Chronicle learned last night, however, that 14 young Indians borrowed another boat and landed on the island undetected,” the article continued. They arrived around 5 p.m., carrying sleeping bags and food with plans to stay overnight.
The next morning, Tom Hannon, regional director of the U.S. General Services Administration, gathered some guards and staff members. The group, accompanied by reporters, set off in a Coast Guard boat to find them.
The 14 young Native Americans surrendered peacefully, after the declaration of a new Indian nation on the island.
“We’ve proven our point,” saidRichard Oakes, the Mohawk leader of the second landing party. “Beyond that, the next time we come, we’re going to come to build.”
He meant it. Ten days later, on Nov. 20, Oakes, along with dozens of other Native Americans calling themselves Indians of All Tribes, took over the island, proclaiming it “free Indian land.”
与先前不同,这个职业of Alcatraz lasted a long time —19 months.
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From the Archive is a weekly column byBill Van Niekerken, the library director of The Chronicle, exploring the depths of the newspaper’s archive. It’s part ofChronicle Vault, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting more than 150 years of San Francisco stories. It is edited byTaylor Kate Brown, The Chronicle’s newsletter editor. Sign up for the newsletterhere, and followChronicle Vault on Instagram. Contact Bill atbvanniekerken@sfchronicle.comand Taylor attaylor.brown@sfchronicle.com.
