Richard Oakes, born on this day in 1942, was a Mohawk indigenous activist and leader within the Red Power movement, playing a prominent role in the 19-month occupation of Alcatraz Island from 1969 - 1971.
Oakes promoted Native American studies in university curricula and is credited for helping to change U.S. federal government "Termination" policies (policies regarding assimilation of indigenous people into the culture of the colonizer) of Native American peoples and culture.
In 1969, Oakes led a 19-month occupation of Alcatraz Island with LaNada Means, approximately 50 California State University students, and 37 others. On January 5th, 1970, Oakes' 12-year-old daughter, Yvonne, fell to her death from concrete steps. After her funeral, Oakes left the island.
In 1972, Oakes was shot and killed in Sonoma, California, by Michael Morgan, a YMCA camp manager. Allegedly, Oakes violently confronted Morgan, and Morgan responded by drawing a handgun and fatally shooting Oakes.
Oakes was unarmed when he was shot. Morgan claimed he acted in self-defense, and was acquitted on charges of voluntary manslaughter.
"We do not fear your threat to charge us with crimes on our land. We and all other oppressed peoples would welcome spectacle of proof before the world of your title by genocide. Nevertheless, we seek peace."
Richard Oakes
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Thinking about it like maybe culture is supposed to die, the right wing notion that culture is supposed to be eternal, preserved and perfected is wrong.
Were clearly not doing anything ancient egyptians or mesopotamians did, i see no one crying over it even if somehow it was amazing we wouldnt know. cultures die and its probably a normal part of civilization.
Yeah, culture is constantly evolving. It always has, too. You go back a thousand years, you can see fashions, language, popular entertainment, changing very quickly. Not as fast as today with global mass media, but the European medieval period, for instance, had very distinct clothing, art, literature, military equipment, popular religious beliefs, from decade to decade.