Album: Brooks Townes - Alcatraz Occupation Photographs, 1969

Alcatraz Island

Now retired, journalist and photographer Brooks Townes was living on a sailboat in Sausalito when asked by the occupation’s organizers if he could round up enough fellow sailors and boats to take 60 Indians to Alcatraz in the pre-dawn of the next day - November 20, 1969.  He could and did - except 93 Indians showed up so two of the three boats had to make two sneaky round trips to The Rock without lights in the dark.  Seeing no photographers on Alcatraz, Townes suggested to occupation leader Richard Oakes he be given permission to return with cameras.  Oakes agreed, and for the first nine mornings before sunrise, Townes hopped off the last boat from Sausalito and photographed until mid-morning. When the Coast Guard wasn’t looking, he’d flag a boat ride to Fisherman’s Wharf to provide news agencies in San Francisco with photos illustrating the hot story.