Alcatraz: An Untold Story of Indigenous Resistance
Alcatraz. What comes to your mind when you hear the name of that little island off the coast of San Francisco?
For me, I heard “Alcatraz” and I pictured that guy who says, “Say hello to my little friend.” I know, I know, wrong coast. I couldn’t have been more off base. But all I really knew is that it used to be a high-security prison and I imagined Scarface going there.
Well, did you know that Alcatraz was the site of an Indigenous protest so powerful that it was a catalyst for the Red Power Movement? In this episode we do a deep dive into this powerful untold story of Indigenous resistance.
Press play to learn about:
- How a tiny clause in a treaty from 1868 sparked a years-long protest
- The Alcatraz Proclamation in which the Indigenous Peoples claimed the island “by right of discovery”
- Multiple examples of Indigenous Peoples choosing their values over money
- The connection of the Alcatraz occupation to Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Resources to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is coming up on October 10, and one of the best things we can do to celebrate is learn more about the history of our Indigenous brothers and sisters. We want to help by sending you some resources to help you learn more. Head over to firstnamebasis.org/indigenouspeoples to get the resources sent straight to your inbox!
Articles, Studies & Podcasts Referenced in the Episode
First Name Basis Podcast, Season 1, Episode 13: “The Untold Story of Thanksgiving”
First Name Basis Podcast, Season 2, Episode 1: “The Untold Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
First Name Basis Podcast, Season 2, Episode 6: “The Untold Story of Dr. Seuss”
First Name Basis Podcast, Season 5, Episode 7: “The Untold Story of Rosa Parks”
First Name Basis Podcast, Season 3, Episode 14: “The Untold Story of Fried Chicken”
First Name Basis Podcast, Season 4, Episode 7: “The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus”
First Name Basis Podcast, Season 6, Episode 8: “The Untold Story of the Star Spangled Banner”
“Goodbye, Columbus? Here’s what Indigenous Peoples’ Day means to Native Americans” by Emma Bowman, NPR
The Occupation of Alcatraz, University of Massachusetts Lowell Library
“The Grim Plight of the…” by Jerry Kamstra
“In 1868, Two Nations Made a Treaty, the U.S. Broke It and Plains Indian Tribes are Still Seeking Justice” by Kimbra Cutlip, Smithsonian Magazine
Treaty of Fort Laramie, National Archives
“Why Native Americans Have Protested Mount Rushmore” by Jodi Rave, History.com
“The Proclamation: To The Great White Father and All His People”
“Rethinking How We Celebrate American History—Indigenous Peoples’ Day” by Dennis W. Zotigh and Renee Gokey, Smithsonian Magazine
“What is the history behind Indigenous Peoples’ Day?” University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“In South Dakota, It’s Native American Day, Not Columbus Day,” ACLU South Dakota
Indigenous Peoples Day, Unitarian Universalist Association
“A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 2021,” The White House
“Biden is first president to mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day” by Zeke Miller and Ellen Knickmeyer, Associated Press
States that have celebrations similar to Indigenous Peoples’ Day but under different names
Song credit: “Sleeper” by Steve Adams” and “Dive Down” by VYEN
