Indigenous Peoples

These are the stories of the people who were the original stewards of the lands that are now the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Find videos and stories highlighting that history and its connections to today.

50th Anniversary of Alcatraz Occupation in 2019

Alcatraz occupier waves after painting political slogan during 50th anniversary celebration
Jonathan Lucero waves to a crowd during the Alcatraz Occupation 50th Anniversary after re-painting a political slogan.

Ryan Curran White/Parks Conservancy

Tipi on Alcatraz with Golden Gate Bridge in background
Tipi commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Alcatraz Occupation

Ryan Curran White/Parks Conservancy

Man in native american headress looking out window of bars
Participant of 50th anniversary of the occupation of Alcatraz in the New Industries Building looking westward.

Ryan Curran White/Parks Conservancy

two woman on stage with banner
The gathering for the 50th anniversary of the Occupation of Alcatraz brought recognition to many tribes in attendance as well as those there in spirit.

Ryan Curran White/Parks Conservancy

Woman at microphone
NPS park rangers and officials spoke of the deep connection and ties of Native Americans to Alcatraz.

Ryan Curran White/Parks Conservancy

red eagle painted on white
Slogans repainted at the dock of Alcatraz recreate those painted during the Occupation of Alcatraz.

Will Elder/National Park Service

crowd of people on cement
A crowd of attendees and visitors to Alcatraz watch as slogans from the occupation of Alcatraz are repainted onto the building at the dock.

Will Elder/National Park Service

girl posing for picture with paintbrush
Family members of the occupiers of Alcatraz helped to repaint the slogans.

Will Elder/National Park Service

Profile of man with golden gate bridge in background. The tide is going out and the sky is blue.
Seen on Alcatraz during the 50th anniversary of the Occupation.

Will Elder/National Park Service

people look at art on walls
As part of the celebration, there is an exhibit of photographs by different photographers who witnessed the occupation of Alcatraz.

Will Elder/National Park Service

Man playing saxophone surrounded by slogans about Red Power on Alcatraz
Many artists participated in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Alcatraz

Will Elder/National Park Service

woman's smile shines so bright on alcatraz
The original occupiers of Alcatraz and their families helped to repaint the slogans on buildings at Alcatraz.

Ryan Curran White/Parks Conservancy

women walk past black and white photos
The photographs of Stephen Shames were among those presented in the exhibit at Alcatraz

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

drum
Drum seen at the event's open microphone.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

black and white photo behind two people
The photos of Stephen Shames behind performers at the event.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

woman and man on a stage
Program participants perform songs for the attendees.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

man and woman surrounded by black and white photos
Photographer Ilka Hartmann and Eloy Martinez surrounded by her photographs.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

black and white photograph
The photographs of Ilka Hartmann were among those presented in the exhibit at Alcatraz. This one is of Richard Oakes, the leader of the occupation.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

backs of a crowd
The attendees watch the repainting of the slogans on the buildings of Alcatraz

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

people at podium with microphone
A photo op where stories were told about being on Alcatraz during the occupation while slogans were repainted overhead.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

main paints on building
Slogans repainted at the dock of Alcatraz recreate those painted during the Occupation of Alcatraz.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

woman waves banner
Woman welcomes visitors to Alcatraz during the 50th anniversary of the occupation.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

man salutes
Powerful memories surfaced during the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Alcatraz.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

people sing and play drums
On the ferry off the island, attendees of the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Alcatraz sing and drum to the crowd's delight.

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

Sharaya Souza sits in Black Point historic gardens surrounded by wildlfowers.
Where community grows: Sharaya Souza and the American Indian Cultural District at Black Point

Sharaya Souza (Taos Pueblo, Ute and Kiowa) has no first memory of interacting with the land. Not because she wasn’t interacting with it, but because for her, it’s innate.

Tipi on Alcatraz with Golden Gate Bridge in background
In their own words: History comes alive at Alcatraz Occupation Anniversary

November 20, 1969. That day marked the beginning of the Occupation of Alcatraz by the Indians of All Tribes, a key milestone in the history of the island, our country, and the broader Native American civil rights movement.

Eloy Martinez, third from right, at an event on Alcatraz.
Q&A: The 1969 Indian Occupation of Alcatraz, through the eyes of an occupier

On Nov. 20, 1969,  a group of Native Americans set up camp on Alcatraz Island in nonviolent protest, claiming it as Indian Land under the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868). Eloy Martinez was one of them. 

"If we build a society based on honoring the earth, we build a society which is sustainable, and has the capacity to support all life forms." - Winona LaDuke
Inspiring Nature Quotes from Indigenous Leaders

November is Native American Heritage Month, a chance for us all to reflect on the contributions and wisdoms of the original stewards of these colonized lands.

Seal Rocks seen in the Pacific Ocean near San Francisco's Lands End.
Lands End: How to find its hidden secrets

A sign at Lands End states: "Terrains that have been shaped by human activity in response to nature have a name—cultural landscapes." Here's a sampling of what you can learn on one of our member tours of the area.

Park Ranger Lara Volski helps visitors.
Meet the Ranger: Lara Volski on climate resilience and history in the Marin Headlands

Park Ranger Lara Volski is relatively new to the National Park Service (NPS), but she’s already made a big impact for Marin Headlands visitors. Working at Point Bonita Lighthouse, the Nike Missile Site, and other locations, Ranger Lara talks about climate resilience and history in unique ways.

Buffalo Soldiers
Sites of Conscience: What we can learn from the GGNRA’s history of resistance

In this moment and as we continue forward, it’s important to acknowledge the racist history on these lands so that we can learn from it and overcome it. 

Attendees form a circle during an event
Remembering the Ohlone, then and now

The indigenous Ohlone people were the first to live, steward, and walk in the coastal hills and scrubland of San Mateo County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Read about the legacy of their stewardship and the evolving relationship between indigenous people and the parks.

Ramaytush Ohlone in a tule boat in the San Francisco Bay, 1816.
The Ramaytush Ohlone - Lessons on stewardship from the ancestral stewards of the Peninsula

Each day I spend with my peers at the Parks Conservancy, and with our passionate and vital cast of volunteers, I endeavor to remember the people who shaped, shared and enshrined these lands and waters.

Interior of Sutro Baths, circa 1900
Fresh Take: Youth Interns Study Ohlone Traditions, Native Plants, Adolph Sutro

Every summer, Park Stewardship welcomes youth interns who help organize and energize volunteer and visitor programs. They also researched and wrote about the parks’ history and resources. Read on for a fresh look at the history of Sutro Heights.

Tipi on Alcatraz with Golden Gate Bridge in background
Indigenous Women of Alcatraz and the Red Power Movement
-

Join the National Park Service and the San Francisco Public Library will host a a one-hour panel followed by a 30-minute Q & A with our panelists.

Register today
Graphic for "Intertribal Dance Gathering: Dancing is Our Medicine" event
Intertribal Dance Gathering: Dancing is our Medicine 2025
-

The Native American Health Center brings the Intertribal Dance Gathering back to the Presidio.

Graphic for "Intertribal Dance Gathering: Dancing is Our Medicine" event
Intertribal Dance Gathering: Dancing is our Medicine 2024
-

The Native American Health Center welcomes indigenous communities and the greater public to enjoy healing dances by California tribes (Ohlone, Hupa, Kumeyaay), Round Dance songs by Mike Bellanger (Kickapoo, Sac & Fox), screen printing by Smithsonian featured artist Calixto Robles (Zapotec), Beading with Kalley Roanhorse (Diné) and more!

RSVP for free here
Tipi on Alcatraz with Golden Gate Bridge in background
Dialogue: Shaping a New Generation of Native American Activism
-

the San Francisco Public Library and the National Park Service at Alcatraz Island will host a dialogue between Asha Nordwall and Benayshe-Ba-Equay Titus.

© 2025 Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. All rights reserved.