Bureau of Indian Affairs

Native Occupation of Alcatraz Island Began on This Day in 1969
Today marks the 52nd anniversary of the start of what would become a year-and-a-half-long occupation of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay in 1969 by 89 Native Americans and their supporters. It was a remarkable demonstration of Indigenous resistance self-organization and helped launch a broader struggle.
Emma Lee
November 20, 2021