Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island is part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Welcome to Golden Gate NPS social media account. Please be considerate of other fan's opinions.
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Alcatraz Island offers a close-up look at the site of the first lighthouse and US built fort on the West Coast, the infamous federal penitentiary long off-limits to the public, and the 18 month occupation by Indians of All Tribes which saved the tribes. Rich in history, there is also a natural side to the Rock—gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and bay views beyond compare. We hope this will beco

me a place where fans feel comfortable sharing information and experiences about Alcatraz with one another. While our social platforms are an open forum, they are also family friendly, so please keep your comments and wall posts clean. In addition to keeping it family friendly, we ask that you follow our posting guidelines here. If you do not comply, your message will be removed. We do not allow graphic, obscene, explicit or racial comments or submissions, nor do we allow comments that are abusive, hateful or intended to defame anyone or any organization. We do not allow solicitations or advertisements. This includes promotion or endorsement of any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. Such posts and/or links are subject to deletion. People who continue to post such content and/or links may be subject to page participation restrictions and/or removal from the page. We do not allow attempts to defame or defraud any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. We do not allow comments that suggest or encourage illegal activity. You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your username and any information provided. Posting of external links on this site that are intended as advertising (or to drive traffic to websites unrelated to Alcatraz), or do not contribute to dialog and discussions about Alcatraz may be deleted. People who continue to post such links may be subject to page participation restrictions and/or removal from the page. External links do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of the U.S. National Park Service or the U.S. Department of Interior. For official information about Alcatraz Island, please visit our Web site at: http://www.nps.gov/alca

Incarcerated men at Alcatraz were allowed to send two letters a week and receive up to seven. All mail going in and out ...
09/02/2026

Incarcerated men at Alcatraz were allowed to send two letters a week and receive up to seven. All mail going in and out of Alcatraz was read and censored by the administrative staff and each person had to get their list of correspondents approved by the Warden. They could not write about other inmates or events that happened at Alcatraz.

Alcatraz also had a “prisoner’s mail box,” which allowed an incarcerated person to write a letter of grievance directly to a Department of Justice official, without the letter being inspected or censored by the Warden. For instance, they could write to the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, the Attorney General, the Parole Board, or Federal judges. It was an important first step in the evolution of inmate rights in federal prisons.

Today, thousands of letters and documents are preserved at the National Archives and Records Administration in San Bruno, California. This office holds the federal records for Alcatraz, including files related to the over 1,500 inmates who were imprisoned on the island. It’s a treasure trove of information for researchers, writers, and park staff. We frequently visit the archives to read through these original letters and documents, then return to the island to incorporate this knowledge into our tours and exhibits.
Thank you to our friends at the archives! The access you provide to these documents help us tell the history of the island to over 1.4 million visitors a year.

National Archives at San Francisco

📷Alcatraz Island staff looking through historic documents in the research room at the National Archives.
📷Letter from the files of Harold Swann (AZ 1289), scanned during a recent trip to the archives. In this letter, Swann’s mother writes to the Warden asking for an update on her son.

in 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified. This meant that a U.S. citizen's right to vote could not be denied or abridg...
08/19/2026

in 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified. This meant that a U.S. citizen's right to vote could not be denied or abridged on the account of s*x. For the first time in U.S. history, women could vote for federal elections.

In recognition of the Ratification of the 19th Amendment, we honor suffragist Alice Park. Park didn't merely limit her work to secure rights for herself. She fought hard for others, for strangers, for conscientious objectors imprisoned on Alcatraz.

"Those dungeons should be described again and again until people outside prison wake up and demand a change. If dogs cats and horses were to be confined to such places, the humane societies would act at once to release them and punish their oppressors... The government treats men worse than individuals are permitted to treat dogs."

After a visit to Alcatraz Military Prison in 1919, Park published the above words in a pamphlet titled "Dungeons in America." She was highlighting the imprisonment and poor treatment of conscientious objectors.

Conscientious objectors who refused to fight in WWI were court martialed and sentenced to years of hard labor. Park shared accounts of men on Alcatraz subjected to 14-day stretches in dark cells on a diet of bread and water.

"Dungeons in America" was distributed to over 200 editors. Publicity from Park and other activists led directly to improved conditions on the island. By 1921, Alcatraz had released all remaining conscientious objectors.

Learn more about Alice Park: https://www.nps.gov/people/alice-park.htm

📷: The Library of Congress

08/14/2026

How many birds can you name that nest on Alcatraz?

Meet Morgan Barnes. She’s got you covered. Consider this your crash-course on Alcatraz birding, straight from a National Park Service biologist.

Alcatraz is home to many nesting seabirds and waterbirds. For a few of these species, Alcatraz is the only breeding colony they have in the bay. Most seabird breeding colonies are on more remote islands, making Alcatraz a particularly special place for birding.

In summer, you can spot little chicks on their nests. How cute! Stop by the New Industries Building to see the Birds in a Changing Climate exhibit or learn more on our website: go.nps.gov/alcatrazbirds!

Video: A video shows many photos of birds that nest on Alcatraz, along with some pictures and videos of the people studying them using a variety of equipment in various areas on the Island.

Credit: NPS/Clair Sapilewski

NPS Photo/Morgan Barnes

Video #1: A video shows many photos of birds that nest on Alcatraz, along with some pictures and videos of the people studying them. The background is a picture of the ocean off the shore of Alcatraz.


On this day in 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order 9981, desegregating the U.S. Armed Forces. Meant to show ap...
07/26/2026

On this day in 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order 9981, desegregating the U.S. Armed Forces. Meant to show appreciation for the heroic efforts of servicemembers of all races during WWII, Truman’s Order signaled a major change in federal policy. Over the following years, more executive orders, legislative bills, and decisions by federal courts made it clear that segregation would no longer be the policy of the federal government.

Despite these policies, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary remained a segregated institution. A vocal opponent of this segregation was Robert Lipscomb. Lipscomb was previously incarcerated at Leavenworth, where he earned a reputation as a “racial agitator” for protesting the disparity in his sentence. He received 25 years for counterfeiting $340, while white counterfeiters he met at Leavenworth often served much less time for much more money. While his “agitation” resulted in his transfer to Alcatraz, it did not end his fight against racial injustice.

Citing Executive Order 9981 and Brown v Board of Education, the Supreme Court decision ordering that public school be desegregated, Lipscomb argued that as a federal institution, Alcatraz should follow suit and end racial segregation. He wrote letters to judges, lawyers, civil rights advocates, and even Attorney-General Robert Kennedy pleading his case. Despite his impassioned protests, including stints in solitary confinement, Lipscomb remained at Alcatraz until its closure in 1963, still as a segregated facility.

📷: Alcatraz intake record for Robert Lipscomb. Under reason for being transferred to Alcatraz, it states that Lipscomb was a “self appointed lawyer for other inmates” and was a “constant source of agitation.” National Archives & Records Administration, San Bruno

📷: In 1960, Robert Lipscomb wrote this letter to H.R. Tyler Jr., Assistant Attorney General. In it, Lipscomb makes the case that Alcatraz has not been desegregated under recent Executive Orders and Supreme Court cases. He requests that he be transferred to another institution if Alcatraz is not integrated, finishing the letter by saying that he’s “ready for the new frontier!” National Archives & Records Administration, San Bruno

"You think we're the exception, but we are the norm when someone is given a chance." We had an inspiring start to the F...
07/14/2026

"You think we're the exception, but we are the norm when someone is given a chance."

We had an inspiring start to the Formerly Incarcerated Speaker Series on Alcatraz this May. Eric “Maserati-E” Abercrombie shared his story of transformation from incarceration to his current work in sound design, film, and music.

During these events, people with experience in prisons and jails share their transformational journeys, including ways they are helping other people through the reentry process today. In June, Mariah Cenea said, “We are responsible and accountable for our mistakes, but we are not defined by our mistakes.... My passion, my role, what I look forward to is to advocate for people inside to have access to rehabilitation."

Also in June, Alcatraz welcomed students of the Excell Network. After their presentation, one speaker reflected that, “when we tell our stories with honesty and hope, we create space for others to heal, connect, and believe that change is possible."

Join us on the island on July 18 for our next speaker, Aaron Lowers.

For the full summer schedule, head to https://go.nps.gov/FormerlyIncarceratedSpeakers

📷NPS Photos of this summer's speakers on Alcatraz.

Do you want to work on Alcatraz Island? Now is your opportunity! Applications are open for winter seasonal Park Guides t...
07/13/2026

Do you want to work on Alcatraz Island? Now is your opportunity!

Applications are open for winter seasonal Park Guides throughout Golden Gate National Recreation Area! These job listings go live July 13 and are limited to the first 250 applicants. Apply today!

Apply here: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/876204300

Before applying, take time to review the vacancy announcement carefully. Make sure your resume (no more than two pages) reflects your qualifications clearly. Apply today as these applications often close at 11:59pm ET/8:59pm PT the night they opened.

07/11/2026

It’s the cutest time of year on Alcatraz! The Western gull chicks have hatched and are sporting their fluffy down with black spots. All over the island, you’ll hear their cries for food and attention. Western gulls are very attentive parents and are constantly on the alert for predators – wildlife and visitor alike 😉

To help us take care of these birds, please:

📷 Take only pictures.
↔️⚠️ Keep a safe distance. If the parent gull cries loudly at you, you’re too close.
🚫🥖 Please do not feed, chase, or scare the birds.
🚫 🐾 Pets are not allowed on Alcatraz.
✅🐕‍🦺 Service animals are welcome on the Island. They must be leashed, under control, and cannot bother the wildlife.

We have about 2,000 Western Gulls on Alcatraz – that's almost 5% of the total worldwide population concentrated here in the San Francisco Bay!

📷 Three fluffy gray baby gulls peck the ground looking for food, watched over by an attentive adult Western Gull.

Join us on July 11 for Living History Day, hosted by the Friends of the Civil War on Alcatraz! There will be Civil War r...
07/07/2026

Join us on July 11 for Living History Day, hosted by the Friends of the Civil War on Alcatraz! There will be Civil War re-enactors, dressed in historical period attire leading tours about the Civil War era on Alcatraz.

Participants include the Third Artillery band, The U.S. Balloon Corps, the 20th Maine re-enactors, and more.
Events include tours of Fort Alcatraz, concerts by the band, and military drills. Exhibits include soldier’s equipment, 1860 medical displays, household items and medicines of the period.

If you are interested in joining on this special day, you can book any a Day Tour ticket at www.AlcatrazCityCruises.com

📷 History comes alive on Alcatraz! NPS Photos / Dan Friedman

How did you celebrate 4th of July? During its Federal Penitentiary days, the community of employees and their families o...
07/05/2026

How did you celebrate 4th of July? During its Federal Penitentiary days, the community of employees and their families on Alcatraz organized some Independence Day festivities in their lively social calendar. The Alcatraz Foghorn, the official civilian newsletter for the penitentiary, gives glimpses of the holiday on the island. The August 1962 edition reported that the teens had an Island Beach Party on the west side of the island with “goodies galore.” It was a “swinging time” that they hoped to repeat.

What memories do you want to keep from your 250th celebration? Share your memories in a comment!

📷This illustration of some revolutionary soldiers is from the cover page of the July 1962 Alcatraz Foghorn Newsletter. NPS Photo / GGNRA Park Archives
📷Alcatraz Girl's Club on the Agave trail cannon, on the south end of the island, while the island served as a federal penitentiary. NPS Photo / GGNPC Archives (GOGA 2316)

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