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Alcatraz Island
After a fire destroyed San Francisco’s American Indian Center in October 1969, activists set their sights on unused Alcatraz Island.
They claimed it under the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, which said unused federal land should return to Native peoples. Here’s how the 19-month takeover unfolded, at a place you can visit today.
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San Francisco Indian Center Fire Sparks Action
A fire burned down the San Francisco Indian Center on October 10, 1969. This center helped urban Native Americans find jobs, get healthcare, and receive legal help. Without it, many people had nowhere to turn for these services…