For a long, long time Indians had been dispirited and ignored. They lived on horrible reservations and were ashamed of their heritage. Then they caught the rights fever and wanted their own rights too. Native Americans began to hold fish-ins and other meetings. They had two big events in their movement. The Alcatraz takeover in 1969 and the Longest Walk in 1978.
"They made many promises, but kept only one. They promised to take our land, and they took it."
-Indian occupant
Takeover at Alcatraz
Richard Oakes
The relations between the government and the United States had always been bad but when the US army took over the island of Alcatraz in San Fransisco Bay the Indians were very upset. This land was used for tribal ceremonies and claimed to be haunted by evil spirits and the Indians used it for sacred reasons. In 1858 the Army took over the island and instead of making it into an Indian college, they made it into an army base. In 1879 the government announced that Indians were not to leave their land (reservation) without permission. Indians had been holding in anger for nearly a century when in November of 1969 they occupied their old Alcatraz Island. Starting with 14 college students but eventually gaining numbers around 150 they lived on Alcatraz for as long as they needed to to get attention. Many supporters marched for the Indians and sent them supplies when the government shut of the electricity. This lasted for a couple months led by Richard Oakes.
Longest Walk
This was a walk that was designed to educate the general public about Native Americans cultures and rituals. It was also supposed to gain enough supporters to stop the legislature's act to change the constitution against the Indian treaties. This 3,600 mile walk did gain enough supporters and helped in the Native Americans rights movement. Today there are still long walks that symbolize the famous walk in 1978.
This Longest Walk was very similar to Gandhi's symbolical walk to the sea to make sand. Once again Gandhi has made an influence and a big one. The Native Americans followed his footsteps with this walk for freedom.
Gandhi's walk to the sea
Worker's Rights
Mexican workers entered the United States, mainly California, to pick plants. It was the work of the slaves but they were paid. It was back-breaking work and everyone from adult to little children did it. They moved wherever the work was best, requiring children to skip schools and not get an education. César Chávez wanted to change this.
César Chávez
César Chávez
Chávez began his life as an ordinary Mexican farmer which is why the other farmers trust him. He is one of them. In 1952 he was hired for a community organizer by Fred Ross for the Community Service Organization that was a civil rights program for Latinos. This was where César Chávez was first introduced to working for civil rights. Four years later he decided to quit the CSO and co-found a union that would strike against farm owners. He began talking to farmers before he joined with the Filipino farm workers in a grape strike. Grapes were a very important part of California agriculture and their strike made those very important grapes rot. The growers and the police beat the striking immigrants. Chávez knew that more attention was needed. He decided that a 300-mile walk would bring enough attention. He walked with religious leaders and college students as Television cameras filmed the famous walk. The entire country now knew about the cause. He decided to hold a boycott when some owners still would not compromise. Some members weren't patient enough and they decided to use violence to fight against the farm owners. Chávez believed in Martin Luther King and Gandhi and to control his violent members he went on a 25 day fast. After 25 days, the farm growers signed the contracts and Chávez began eating again.
Time and time again Gandhi's influence showed through. Instead of forcefully quieting down those impatient members, Chávez fasted and it worked just like Gandhi did multiple times back in India.
Native American's Rights
For a long, long time Indians had been dispirited and ignored. They lived on horrible reservations and were ashamed of their heritage. Then they caught the rights fever and wanted their own rights too. Native Americans began to hold fish-ins and other meetings. They had two big events in their movement. The Alcatraz takeover in 1969 and the Longest Walk in 1978."They made many promises, but kept only one. They promised to take our land, and they took it."
-Indian occupant
Takeover at Alcatraz
Richard Oakes
The relations between the government and the United States had always been bad but when the US army took over the island of Alcatraz in San Fransisco Bay the Indians were very upset. This land was used for tribal ceremonies and claimed to be haunted by evil spirits and the Indians used it for sacred reasons. In 1858 the Army took over the island and instead of making it into an Indian college, they made it into an army base. In 1879 the government announced that Indians were not to leave their land (reservation) without permission. Indians had been holding in anger for nearly a century when in November of 1969 they occupied their old Alcatraz Island. Starting with 14 college students but eventually gaining numbers around 150 they lived on Alcatraz for as long as they needed to to get attention. Many supporters marched for the Indians and sent them supplies when the government shut of the electricity. This lasted for a couple months led by Richard Oakes.Longest Walk
This was a walk that was designed to educate the general public about Native Americans cultures and rituals. It was also supposed to gain enough supporters to stop the legislature's act to change the constitution against the Indian treaties. This 3,600 mile walk did gain enough supporters and helped in the Native Americans rights movement. Today there are still long walks that symbolize the famous walk in 1978.This Longest Walk was very similar to Gandhi's symbolical walk to the sea to make sand. Once again Gandhi has made an influence and a big one. The Native Americans followed his footsteps with this walk for freedom.
Worker's Rights
Mexican workers entered the United States, mainly California, to pick plants. It was the work of the slaves but they were paid. It was back-breaking work and everyone from adult to little children did it. They moved wherever the work was best, requiring children to skip schools and not get an education. César Chávez wanted to change this.César Chávez
César Chávez
Chávez began his life as an ordinary Mexican farmer which is why the other farmers trust him. He is one of them. In 1952 he was hired for a community organizer by Fred Ross for the Community Service Organization that was a civil rights program for Latinos. This was where César Chávez was first introduced to working for civil rights. Four years later he decided to quit the CSO and co-found a union that would strike against farm owners. He began talking to farmers before he joined with the Filipino farm workers in a grape strike. Grapes were a very important part of California agriculture and their strike made those very important grapes rot. The growers and the police beat the striking immigrants. Chávez knew that more attention was needed. He decided that a 300-mile walk would bring enough attention. He walked with religious leaders and college students as Television cameras filmed the famous walk. The entire country now knew about the cause. He decided to hold a boycott when some owners still would not compromise. Some members weren't patient enough and they decided to use violence to fight against the farm owners. Chávez believed in Martin Luther King and Gandhi and to control his violent members he went on a 25 day fast. After 25 days, the farm growers signed the contracts and Chávez began eating again.Time and time again Gandhi's influence showed through. Instead of forcefully quieting down those impatient members, Chávez fasted and it worked just like Gandhi did multiple times back in India.