Alcatraz Proved a Point
c. 1972
Artist
Joseph "Indian Joe" Morris (Blackfoot)
DIMENSIONS
22 3/4 x 17 3/4 in. (57.8 x 45.1 cm)
OBJECT NUMBER
PH.7741
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
United States
CREDIT LINE
Poster House Permanent Collection
KEYWORDS
Alcatraz, California, Landscapes, Native American, Political, Protest, San Francisco

The Ramaytush Ohlone peoples’ ancestral territory includes Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. After Spanish colonization in the 1770s forcibly relocated them to Mission Dolores in San Francisco, successive colonial governments continued their displacement to more than 100 reservations across California. In March 1963, the notorious Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was closed and its land was turned over to the City of San Francisco. Indigenous activists noted that the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie between the U. S. government and various groups within the Lakota, Yanktonai Dakota, and Arapaho Nation tribes indicated that such a closure would actually allow Indigenous peoples to reclaim ownership of this land. Determined to see the terms of this treaty honored, 89 activists descended upon Alcatraz Island. While only a handful were able to get ashore, this initial gesture snowballed into what would become a 19-month long occupation that, at its height, involved approximately 400 Indigenous participants. A major event within the American Indian Movement, this occupation was led by activists calling themselves the Indians of All Tribes, which included such notable individuals as Richard Oakes (Mohawk [Akwesasne]), LaNada Means (Shoshone-Bannock), and John Trudell (Santee Dakota). While the occupation was ultimately unsuccessful (the government cut off all water and electricity to the island, forcing people to leave, and the Coast Guard physically removed anyone who stayed behind), it remains one of the most significant moments within the American Indian Movement, bringing Native rights issues to an international audience on an unprecedented scale and inspiring countless other protests. This poster, created after the Alcatraz occupation ended, honors those who participated, incorporating the spiritual imagery of a sacred pipe, buffalo spirits, and eagle feathers alongside the names of 30 tribes, thereby emphasizing national Indigenous unity. The artist Joseph Morris was also involved in the occupation. A Blackfeet longshoreman and member of the local longshoremen’s union, he helped coordinate the Pier 40 depot during the occupation, arranging shipments to the island and handling finances.

For inquiries about image licensing, please contact collections@posterhouse.org.

Show me more
posters from this