Today in class we talked about AIM movement and how they occupied the Alcatraz Island from 1969 until 1971. The AIM movement took over the island by using the words the United States government used by the government against them. They also offered the United States government a treaty similar to the one given to their ancestors. When the Unite States government took their lands and homes. The AIM movement offered the United States government an exchange in trade worth about $24.00 in glass beads. Also the movement also used the occupation to demonstrate the living conditions on the reservation the United States government had placed the Native American people. The AIM movement started by stating the had unlivable living condition on the reservations similar to the Alcatraz living conditions on the island.
In school and some of the documentaries I have watched about Alcatraz never mentions anything about the AIM movements occupation of the island. From school and the documentaries they talk about the prisoners kept in the prison and the history of the prison, but they leave out the AIM movement. Now to my understanding the occupation of Alcatraz is quite the significant event in the history of Alcatraz. So why would they leave out this kind of information? In my opinion it was a way to keep the Native Americans invisible to the public and to avoid the dark history of the United States.
avestoll July 11, 2018
I also found it neat how the people of the American Indian Movement used the governments words against them. With all the bad things the government has done to the Native people, I feel like they deserved a bit of their own medicine. I also found it comically ironic how the people of AIM offered the government a treaty much like the ones the government offered their ancestors. I have also heard about Alcatraz a decent amount and I’ve seen it in movies, but I have never heard of any event involving Native people and the island. Its just one more Native event that has been left out of the media and left out of K-12 education.
mikerose July 13, 2018
Jonathon,
I would consider this topic one of my highlights of the week. I found it so cool and interesting that they would choose this as a protest, it was so clever. It really showed how much these Natives do care to stay on that island for so long and also showed how brave they are. I also loved how they were very sarcastic when saying why they were staying there and pretty much mocking the United States government for everything they have done to them. I don’t think I have never seen a protest as clever as this one. Sadly, I don’t think there was a huge outcome out of this because Natives never get any media attention and are ignored time and time again.
-Mike