Alcatraz from the Sea: The Public View of the Occupation

In this photograph we can see an example of the wide range of people who participated in the IAT occupation, many of whom werre the children of other members

Alcatraz was a public spectacle from the very beginning. When members of Indians of All Tribes (IAT) landed on the island on November 20th 1969 they knew that their actions would have an incredible impact in the future of Native Civil rights and the grander goals of Native Americans within the United States at the time. When we analyze these images within the greater context of Native Civil Rights we see how their outward appearance to the peaope of the United States impacted their effectivity of their message and their occupation. The fact that the Alcatraz protestors refrained from devolving their movement into one of senseless violence helped to preserve their public image.

This photograph from Ilka Hartmann shows some of the other Alcatraz participants in their element during the occupation.

These images show the conflagration of the Alcatraz lighthouse in May 1970, and its aftermath. The fire is seen as one of the pivotal moments in the occupation but its origins remain unknown.

This sign depicts the burned lighthouse with one of the now famous 'Indian Property' signs which dotted the island during the protest. The stark imagery of the burned prison building in contrast with the message for Native civil rights makes this a memorable part of the movement.