Blood in the water : the Attica prison uprising of 1971 and its legacy

**The first definitive account of the infamous 1971 Attica prison uprising, the state's violent response, and the victims' decades-long quest for justice—including information never released to the public—published to coincide with the forty-fifth anniversary of this historic event.**On September 9, 1971, nearly 1,300 prisoners took over the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York to protest years of mistreatment. Holding guards and civilian employees hostage, during the next four long days and nights the inmates negotiated with state officials for improved living conditions. On September 13, the state abruptly ended talks and sent hundreds of heavily armed state troopers and corrections officers to retake the prison by force. In the ensuing gunfire, thirty-nine men were killed—hostages as well as prisoners—and close to one hundred were severely injured. Over the following hours, days, and weeks, troopers and officers brutally retaliated... Historian Heather Ann Thompson Offers The First Definitive Telling Of The Attica Prison Uprising, The State's Violent Response, And The Victims' Decades-long Quest For Justice--in Time For The Forty-fifth Anniversary Of The Events-- On September 9, 1971, Nearly 1,300 Prisoners Took Over The Attica Correctional Facility In Upstate New York To Protest Years Of Mistreatment. Holding Guards And Civilian Employees Hostage, The Prisoners Negotiated With Officials For Improved Conditions During The Four Long Days And Nights That Followed. On September 13, The State Abruptly Sent Hundreds Of Heavily Armed Troopers And Correction Officers To Retake The Prison By Force. Their Gunfire Killed Thirty-nine Men--hostages As Well As Prisoners--and Severely Wounded More Than One Hundred Others. In The Ensuing Hours, Weeks, And Months, Troopers And Officers Brutally Retaliated Against The Prisoners. Ultimately, New York State Authorities Prosecuted Only The Prisoners, Never Once Bringing Charges Against The Officials Involved In The Retaking And Its Aftermath And Neglecting To Provide Support To The Survivors And The Families Of The Men Who Had Been Killed. Drawing From More Than A Decade Of Extensive Research, Historian Heather Ann Thompson Sheds New Light On Every Aspect Of The Uprising And Its Legacy, Giving Voice To All Those Who Took Part In This 45-year Fight For Justice: Prisoners, Former Hostages, Families Of The Victims, Lawyers And Judges, And State Officials And Members Of Law Enforcement. This Book Is The First Full Account Of One Of The Most Important Civil Rights Stories Of The Last Century.--adapted From Dust Jacket. State Secrets -- The Tinderbox -- Power And Politics Unleashed -- The Sound Before The Fury -- Retribution And Reprisals Unimagined -- Reckonings And Reactions -- Inquiries And Diversions -- Justice On Trial -- Blowing The Whistle -- David And Goliath -- A Final Flight. The Tinderbox. Frank Big Black Smith -- Not So Greener Pastures -- Responding To Resistance -- Voices From Auburn -- Knowledge Is Power -- Playing By The Rules -- Back And Forth -- End Of The Line -- Power And Politics Unleashed. Michael Smith -- Talking Back -- Burning Down The House -- Reeling And Reacting -- Order Out Of Chaos -- What’s Going On -- Into The Night -- A New Day Dawns -- The Sound Before The Fury. Tom Wicker -- Getting Down To Business -- Dreams And Nightmares -- On The Precipice -- Deciding Disaster -- Retribution And Reprisals Unimagined. Tony Strollo -- Chomping At The Bit -- Standing Firm -- No Mercy -- Spinning Disaster -- And The Beat Goes On -- Reckonings And Reactions. Robert Douglass -- Speaking Up -- Stepping Back -- Funerals And Fallout -- Prodding And Probing -- Which Side Are You On? -- Ducks In A Row -- Inquiries And Diversions. Anthony Simonetti -- Digging More Deeply -- Foxes In The Hen House -- Stick And Carrot -- Seeking Help -- Indictments All Around -- Justice On Trial. Ernest Goodman -- Mobilizing And Maneuvering -- A House Divided -- Laying The Groundwork -- Testing The Waters -- Going For Broke -- Evening The Score -- A Long Journey Ahead -- Blowing The Whistle. Malcolm Bell -- Joining The Team -- Protecting The Police -- Smoking Guns -- Going Public -- Investigating The Investigation -- Closing The Book -- David And Goliath. Elizabeth Fink -- It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over -- Shining The Light On Evil -- Delay Tactics -- The Price Of Blood -- Deal With The Devil -- A Final Fight. Deanne Quinn Miller -- Family Fury -- Manipulated And Outmaneuvered -- Biting The Hand -- Getting Heard -- Waiting Game -- A Hollow Victory -- Epilogue: Prisons And Power. Heather Ann Thompson. Map On Lining Papers. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 579-684) And Index. The first definitive account of the infamous 1971 Attica prison uprising, the state's violent response, and the victims' decades-long quest for justice?including information never released to the public?published to coincide with the forty-fifth anniversary of this historic event. On September 9, 1971, nearly 1,300 prisoners took over the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York to protest years of mistreatment. Holding guards and civilian employees hostage, during the four long days and nights that followed, the inmates negotiated with state officials for improved living conditions. On September 13, the state abruptly ended talks and sent hundreds of heavily armed state troopers and corrections officers to retake the prison by force. In the ensuing gunfire, thirty-nine men were killed?hostages as well as prisoners?and close to one hundred were severely injured. After the prison was secured, troopers and officers brutally retaliated against the prisoners during the weeks that followed. For decades afterward, instead of charging any state employee who had committed murder or carried out egregious human rights abuses, New York officials prosecuted only the prisoners and failed to provide necessary support to the hostage survivors or the families of any of the men who'd been killed. Heather Ann Thompson sheds new light on one of the most important civil rights stories of the last century, exploring every aspect of the uprising and its legacy from the perspectives of all of those involved in this forty-five-year fight for justice: the prisoners, the state officials, the lawyers on both sides, the state troopers and corrections officers, and the families of the slain men. (With black-and-white illustrations throughout) "Superb ... Gripping ... Remarkable ... Not all works of history have something to say so directly to the present, but Heather Ann Thompson's Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy, which deals with racial conflict, mass incarceration, police brutality and dissembling politicians, reads like it was special-ordered for the sweltering summer of 2016."?Mark Oppenheimer, The New York Times From the Hardcover edition PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • The definitive history of the infamous 1971 Attica Prison uprising, the state's violent response, and the victim's decades-long quest for justice. • Thompson served as the Historical Consultant on the Academy Award-nominated documentary feature ATTICA “Gripping ... deals with racial conflict, mass incarceration, police brutality and dissembling politicians ... Makes us understand why this one group of prisoners [rebelled], and how many others shared the cost.” — The New York Times On September 9, 1971, nearly 1,300 prisoners took over the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York to protest years of mistreatment. Holding guards and civilian employees hostage, the prisoners negotiated with officials for improved conditions during the four long days and nights that followed. On September 13, the state abruptly sent hundreds of heavily armed troopers and correction officers to retake the prison by force. Their gunfire killed thirty-nine men—hostages as well as prisoners—and severely wounded more than one hundred others. In the ensuing hours, weeks, and months, troopers and officers brutally retaliated against the prisoners. And, ultimately, New York State authorities prosecuted only the prisoners, never once bringing charges against the officials involved in the retaking and its aftermath and neglecting to provide support to the survivors and the families of the men who had been killed. Drawing from more than a decade of extensive research, historian Heather Ann Thompson sheds new light on every aspect of the uprising and its legacy, giving voice to all those who took part in this forty-five-year fight for justice: prisoners, former hostages, families of the victims, lawyers and judges, and state officials and members of law enforcement. Blood in the Water is the searing and indelible account of one of the most important civil rights stories of the last century. (With black-and-white photos throughout) The first definitive account of the infamous 1971 Attica prison uprising, the states violent response, and the victims' decades-long quest for justice including information never released to the public published to coincide with the forty-fifth anniversary of this historic event. On September 9, 1971, nearly 1,300 prisoners took over the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York to protest years of mistreatment. Holding guards and civilian employees hostage, during the four long days and nights that followed, the inmates negotiated with state officials for improved living conditions. On September 13, the state abruptly ended talks and sent hundreds of heavily armed state troopers and corrections officers to retake the prison by force. In the ensuing gunfire, thirty-nine men were killed, hostages as well as prisoners, and close to one hundred were severely injured. After the prison was secured, troopers and officers brutally retaliated against the prisoners during the weeks that followed. For decades afterward, instead of charging any state employee who had committed murder or carried out egregious human rights abuses, New York officials prosecuted only the prisoners and failed to provide necessary support to the hostage survivors or the families of any of the men who'd been killed. Heather Ann Thompson sheds new light on one of the most important civil rights stories of the last century, exploring every aspect of the uprising and its legacy from the perspectives of all of those involved in this forty-five-year fight for justice: the prisoners, the state officials, the lawyers on both sides, the state troopers and corrections officers, and the families of the slain men. >*Blood in the Water* recounts the history of an infamous prison rebellion in which, on September 9, 1971, nearly 1,300 incarcerated men seized control of a major section of New York State’s Attica Prison. Over the next four days, these rebels attempted to negotiate for the release of 43 hostages, but rather than accede to their demands, New York Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller deployed an assault force that recaptured Attica by killing 29 rebels, 10 hostages, and seriously wounding more than 100 others. For several days thereafter, an untold number of rebels were subjected to sadistic torture. State actors attempted to cover-up their role in the violence. Protracted legal battles between the state, the rebels, and the families of the slain and injured hostages ensued until 2005. - [Orisanmi Burton](/authors/OL12918537A) in a critical [book review](https://abolitionjournal.org/diluting-radical-history-blood-in-the-water-and-the-politics-of-erasure/) Historian Heather Ann Thompson offers the first definitive telling of the Attica prison uprising, the state's violent response, and the victims' decades-long quest for justice. Drawing from more than a decade of extensive research, Thompson sheds new light on every aspect of the uprising and its legacy, giving voice to all those who took part in this forty-five-year fight for justice: prisoners, former hostages, families of the victims, lawyers and judges, and state officials and members of law enforcement