 On
the upper level of Alcatraz Island are the main cellblock, the
lighthouse, and the living quarters. On the lower level is one
of the apartment buildings that was used for housing during the
occupation. |
 After
the government cut off electrical service to the island, The
primary way to stay warm was by building campfires.
|
 Many
nights on the island were spent sitting around campfires singing
and sharing stories of Indian history and culture. For many,
this was their first opportunity to meet other Indian people.
|
 Money,
food, and clothing were donated to the Indians on Alcatraz Island. Often
the clothing included such items as business suits, ball gowns, and
high-heeled shoes. Indian children played "grown-up" in expensive hand-
me-downs. Here an unidentified person sorts through the boxes of
donations.
|
 Two
occupiers stand on top of the main cellblock on the upper level of
Alcatraz Island. The city of San Francisco is visible in the background.
Alcatraz security used this level to watch for any attempted removal by
federal forces.
|
 An
Indian youth pauses on the walkway above an apartment building.
|
 Graffiti
welcomes Indian occupiers to United Indian Property.
|
 A
handpainted sign marks the location of a school on Alcatraz. A
preschool and a nursery were operated for those who had children
on the island. |
 Children
ride in the back of a pickup truck on Alcatraz Island. Members
of the longshoremen's union volunteered their time and knowledge
to repair old Justice Department vehicles left on the island.
|
 Indian
children were among the residents of Alcatraz. Here an Indian
youth walks near the lower level apartment building on the
island. |
 A
young Indian child on Alcatraz Island. |
 Many
decisions had to be made each day regarding life on the island.
Here a group of Indian people meet in the dining area of the old
prison. |
 Initially,
food was cooked and meals were served in the prison kitchen on
the upper level. Soon, however, the Indian occupiers began to
feel that the spirits of former prisoners were still present in
the cellblock, so the kitchen was vacated, and food preparation
took place on the lower level, often in an outside area. |
 John
Trudell speaks with news media representatives regarding
negotiations with the federal government for title to Alcatraz
Island. Trudell, known as "the voice of Alcatraz," conducted a
regular radio program called "Radio Free Alcatraz." |
 Indian
people wait for a boat to take them to Alcatraz Island.
|
 Indian
people sit in the back of a boat leaving for Alcatraz Island.
LaNada Boyer, left, talks with Joe Bill, center, and an
unidentified man. |
 Indian
children play with their bicycles in the lower level courtyard.
The skeleton of a burned-out building is visible on the upper
level. A fire destroyed four historic buildings in June 1970.
|
 This
drawing, called "Off the Cross," demonstrates the view held by
many American Indians on the island that the occupation was a
liberating experience; they felt free for the first time. |
 This
Indian occupier is wearing a jacket stating "Alcatraz Sioux." |
 Indian
women played a major role in the occupation. They served on the
is land council and the security force and worked in the health
clinic, the day care center, and the school. In this photograph,
two women prepare a communal meal in the old prison kitchen.
|
 The
dining area is adjacent to the kitchen in the main cellblock on
Alcatraz. |
Indian occupiers work on the dock of
Alcatraz Island. A woman is handing tools to Richard Oakes
(behind the ladder), while two men hold the ladder close to the
pier.
|
 Description
Indian occupiers stand on the dock of Alcatraz Island. Richard
Oakes is on the right.
|
 A
sign on the Alcatraz landing welcomes arriving Indian people. |
 Headquarters
were set up on the dock on Alcatraz Island. All persons visiting
or living on Alcatraz were required to sign in when they
arrived. LaNada Boyer, the longest continuing resident of the
island, is standing, third from the left. |
 An
Indian woman prepares a communal meal in the kitchen on Alcatraz
Island. |
