Alcatraz has become a national and memorable landmark in the United States, but the Native American history has been reluctantly taught in the America’s education system. After analyzing the article “Alcatraz Is Not a Island” I came to the obvious conclusion that America’s government wrongfully took over Alcatraz by forcing the Native Americans off the island, so they could build. Before, the Native Americans used Alcatraz as a place of isolation for tribal members, gathering food, and hunting ocean life. The United States Government settled Alcatraz in 1847 transforming the small island into the first lighthouse in San Francisco’s bay, then a military fortification, then into a military prison that imprisoned several famous inmates, such as Al Capone, until 1963. The Treaty of Fort Laramie that the United States made with the Sioux Indians in 1868 stated that “all abandoned, retired, or out of use federal land” would be returned to the “Native people from whom it was required.” The Native Americans began to loose their cultural identity by the U.S. government taking advantage of their rights to land, resources, etc. Beginning on November 20, 1969 several different Native American tribes through out America joined together to revive their culture by occupying the island and demanding that the Native Americans be given education centers, ecology centers, and cultural centers. For too long the Native Americans were taken advantage of by the U.S. government, so thanks to the modern and more educated Native Americans that oraganized the protest on Alcatraz, their culture was saved. The takeover of Alcatraz was a bold move to make, but a necessary move on the Native American’s part. The progressive members of AIM (American Indian Movement) saved the Native American culture by freeing urban indians from civil rights abuses. The Native Americans invasion of Alcatraz was just the beginning of their positive movement.
QUESTION:
I have learned about Alcatraz several times in history classes,etc. but the AIM protest is rarely ever brought up. Do you think that our governments education system is altered to be PRO AMERICA?
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2 comments:
I think there is just a lot of Native American history that still gets left out of California education. The last time I studied California history was in fourth grade, and even then what we learned about Native American culture suddenly ended when we got to talking about the Gold Rush. It's not that I believe our education system is completely "Pro-America," as most teachers I've had in the public school system are very liberal minded, I just think that certain parts of history are overshadowed by what the authors of textbooks deem more important. I believe the conquering of a state and the destruction of its pristine natural habitat through mining and industry is an important a subject as that of the race of people we essentially drove out of their homeland.
In response to your question, I think our educational system (outside of UCSC) is certainly pro American interests. That's the nature of the beast. However, things are doubtlessly getting better. I remember being taught about Colombus, for instance, in a glowing way. From what I understand, elementary schools these days provide a much more nuanced view on the topic. Inclusion of Native American topics is also getting better. While my parents would never have imagined it, I remember spending an entire semester in 6th grade studying local native legends etc. in English.
So, do Native American issues get their fair share of exposure? No, but it is getting better.
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