Locked Out: The Attica Uprising and the Politics of Prison

In September 1971, inmates held at the Attica Correctional Facility in New York State rebelled against prison authorities and took control of the facility, taking guards hostage and making a number of specific demands for better treatment and political rights. After four days of negotiations, state police under the command of New York governor Nelson Rockefeller stormed the prison and shot 43 people dead, including 10 correctional officers. The details of the incident were deliberately distorted and covered up for decades; it remains the largest prison rebellion in American history.

What was the uprising all about in the first place? In this Olio, we’ll take a detailed look at the historical context and specific demands of prison activists, as we explore that larger history of policing and prisons in the 1960s and 1970s. From the War on Drugs to Black Lives Matter, we’ll seek to understand how crime and punishment became central battlefields in the fight to define American freedom.

Teacher: David Parsons

David Parsons, Ph.D., received his doctorate in History from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). He is a professor and writer whose work focuses on the political, social, and cultural history of 20th century America. He teaches U.S. history and media at California State University, and hosts a long-running weekly podcast on history and politics called The Nostalgia Trap.

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