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Drawing of a crowd with signs such as "The guilty person is not the only target of punishment" & "The rich pay bail and the poor go to jail"
(Photo: Katy Groves from the Attica Primer Guide by Project NIA)

Attica Prison Uprising.

1971

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(Photo: Katy Groves from the Attica Primer Guide by Project NIA)

On September 9, over 1,200 incarcerated men at Attica Prison, who are predominantly Black and Latino, rise up against abusive patrolling and inhumane living conditions.

This uprising is unprecedented, and will become critical to prison abolition organizing globally. The prisoners set fire to prison buildings and hold guards as hostages, garnering national attention and leveraging a conversation with state officials about the horrific conditions and abuses they are experiencing, which include torture and solitary confinement.

The uprising lasts 4 days, with 39 deaths composed of 29 inmates and 10 guards. The U.S. government intervenes and targets the Black men who lead the uprising with massive punishments and torture. The demands from the uprising are not met.