The Native Reclamation of Alcatraz Island, 1969

News Coverage from 50 Years Ago On The Alcatraz Takeover

In November of 1969, six years after Alcatraz ceased to be a prison, Native American activists laid claim to Alcatraz Island. The activists wanted complete Native control over the island, under the Treaty of Fort Laramie, for the purpose of building a cultural center that included Native American Studies, an American Indian spiritual center, an ecology center, and an American Indian Museum.

This contentious moment in San Francisco's history was featured in daily newspapers as well as in the "underground press." The Magazines and Newspapers Center has selected a sampling of the coverage; it's on display on the 5th floor of the Main Library. Visit us to see what the news said 50 years ago, and learn how to find out more with our library resources.