Alcatraz Closes: The End of an Era
The U.S. government shut down Alcatraz after decades of mounting costs and failed escape attempts turned the island into a financial drain rather than a secure fortress. This closure immediately sparked the "Alcatraz Is Not For Sale" occupation by Native American activists, who seized the site to demand federal recognition of indigenous rights and land sovereignty.
March 21, 1963
63 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on March 21
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