In September of 1971, a group of inmates at the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York staged a rebellion that would go down in history as one of the most notorious prison uprisings in American history. The events that unfolded over the course of four days would leave 43 people dead, including 10 correctional officers and civilian employees, and would spark a national conversation about the state of the American prison system.
In 1991, High Times magazine published a special issue titled “ATTICA! ATTICA!” that revisited the events of the uprising and examined the political and social context that led to it. The issue featured interviews with former Attica inmates, eyewitness accounts from journalists who covered the rebellion, and analysis from experts on criminal justice and prison reform.
One of the key themes that emerged from the High Times coverage was the role of race in the Attica uprising. The majority of the inmates at Attica were Black or Latino, and they were protesting against a system that they saw as inherently racist and oppressive. As one former inmate told High Times, “Attica was a microcosm of what was happening in America at the time. It was about race, it was about class, it was about power.”
The High Times coverage also highlighted the brutal response of law enforcement to the uprising. After negotiations between the inmates and prison officials broke down, Governor Nelson Rockefeller ordered state troopers to retake the prison by force. The resulting assault left dozens dead and injured, and many of the surviving inmates were subjected to brutal beatings and torture.
The aftermath of the Attica uprising was just as controversial as the events themselves. The state of New York faced widespread criticism for its handling of the situation, and many activists and advocates for prison reform used Attica as a rallying cry for change. In the years that followed, reforms were made to improve conditions in American prisons, but many argue that the system is still deeply flawed and in need of further reform.
Looking back on the Attica uprising today, it’s clear that the events of September 1971 had a profound impact on American society. The High Times coverage of the rebellion provides a valuable perspective on the political and social context that led to the uprising, and serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and equality in America’s criminal justice system.
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