Occupying Alcatraz: Native American Activists Demand Change

Occupying Alcatraz: Native American Activists Demand Change — page 5
INDIAN CLAIMS COMMISSION The US Congress created the ICC on August 13 1946 for the purpose of hearing and processing legal claims made by Native Americans against the United States Most of these claims involved treaty violations and what many in Native communities considered to be the wrongful confiscation of their ancestral lands Though it was only expected to last a decade the three member commission operated until September 1978 when the US Court of Federal Claims took control over any outstanding cases During that time nearly all of the federally recognized Native American nations filed at least one claim Approximately 342 awards totaling more than 800 million were distributed The individual judgments ranged from several hundred dollars to 31 2 million However many Native Americans believed no monetary compensation would bring true justice to the situation Critics felt the ICC simply forced Native Americans to monetize unfairly seized lands excess property Since then the government had been dragging its feet in coming up with a viable idea for what to do with the island and buildings Members of the Sioux Club were sure this was exactly the opportunity the Native American community needed Spearheaded by Richard D McKenzie president of the American Indian Council Allen Cottier Martin Martinez Garfield Spotted Elk and Walter Means a plot was hatched to peacefully invade and occupy Alcatraz Island The five Sioux leaders and their followers would charter a tugboat and pack it with enough food and supplies to last for 30 days After