Joseph Morris Alcatraz Occupation Collection 
 
Title  
Joseph Morris Alcatraz Occupation Collection 
 
Dates 
1969-1999 
 
Collection Number  
Catalog number GOGA 35283   
 
(Accession numbers GOGA-2403, -2528, -2615, -2680, -2704, -2808, -2887) 
(Previous catalog numbers GOGA 7646, 18262, 18622, 18866, 18868, 40059) 
 
Volume/Extent /Cumulation 
48 items 
 
Description 
Documents, diaries, audio recordings, posters and other memerobilia produced and collected by Joseph “Indian Joe” Morris, during and after his involvment in the Indian Occupation of Alcatraz, November 1969 to June 1971.  The collection documents his experiences and recollections of the occupation and contains many unique items, such as his ID card and a blank island pass.  In addition to his diary, which gives his personal background as well as a colorful history of the movement, this collection includes the “Alcatraz Spare Changer,” the Indians of all Tribes accounting ledger which records donations and payouts.  The collection also reflects the life of a contemporary Native American, especially Morris’s account of his life and that of his daughter Linda.  See item list for detailed inventory. 
 
History/Provenance 
Joseph “Indian Joe” Morris was born on 2 February 1921 in East Glacier, Montana, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. His Indian name is Meta-wa-wakee, which means Lonewalker.  He grew up in Montana on the Reservation, attending the Cut Bank Indian Boarding School as well as the local schools in Browning, Montana.  He also attended the Chemawa Indian School in Salem, Oregon, where he met his future wife, Eva Trombley.   
 
Morris learned to play the trombone in high school, which led to a career playing in various bands throughout the Pacific Northwest.  He traveled for much of his life, working various jobs including fisherman, carpenter, farmworker, lumberjack and longshoreman.  During his travels he learned from the various tribes he met.  Morris worked as a longshoreman in ports up and down the Pacific Coast as a member of the International Labor Workers Union, but considered San Francisco his home port.   
 
In November 1969, he read about the Indian students who had taken over Alcatraz and quickly became involved in the movement.  He became the coordinator of the Alcatraz depot at Pier Forty, arranging for the shipment of goods to the island as well as handling some of the financial proceedings.  He created many pieces of art related to the occupation that are a part of the GOGA 3-D collection.  
 
Morris’s wife Eva died in 1995 and his daughter Linda died in 1997.  Both were also a part of the Indian Occupation of Alcatraz. 
 
Preferred Citation  
“Joseph Morris Alcatraz Occupation Collection, GOGA 35283, Golden Gate National Recreation Area."  
 
Index/Added Entries 
	 	Alcatraz Island (Calif.) 
	 	Alcatraz Island (Calif.)--History 
Alcatraz Island (Calif.)--History--Indian Occupation, 1969-1971 	 Indians of All Tribes, Inc. 
Indians of North America--California--Alcatraz Island--History--20th century Johnson, Troy R. 
Morris, Joseph 
 
Formats  
	 	Books 
	 	Clippings 
	 	Ephemera 
	 	Identity cards 
	 	Ledgers (account books) 
Magazines (periodicals) 
Manuscripts 
Photocopies 
Posters 
 
Processing Information  Processed by Kirsten Kvam 
Completed in July 2004 
Item List 

Box # 	Folder # 	Folder Title/Item 
  	 	 
INDIAN JOE MORRIS DOCUMENTS 
1 	1 	Alcatraz Permanent Residence Card, c.1969-1971 
 	 	Alcatraz Receiving Depot Island Pass, c. 1969-1971 
 	 	Agreement to not sue for any injury sustained on or in transport to the island, c. 1969-1971 (photocopy) 
 	 	Letter to the general membership of Alcatraz Island, re: perceived 
wrongdoings, 11 June 1970 (photocopy) 
 	 	 
OCCUPATION-RELATED DOCUMENTS 
 	2 	Flyer about Alcatraz occupation needs, c. 1969-1971 (photocopy) 
 	 	License to use storage space, issued to Joe Morris from San Francisco Port 
Commission (photocopy) 17 February 1970 
 	 	Letter from SF Port Commission re: misuse of space at Pier 40, 23 December 
1970 (photocopy) 
 	 	Letter of introduction for Joe Morris from the Indians of all Tribes, signed by Richard Oakes (photocopy) 9 December 1969 
 	 	Sheet Music, “Alcatraz Water Run,” by Joe Morris, c. 1971 
 	 	Sheet Music, “14 Feathers Over Alcatraz,” by Joe Morris, c.1971 
 	 	Signatures collected at All Indian Gala Variety Show, 26 September 1971 
(photocopy)  
 	 	Plea to end violence within the ILWU (International Longshoremen’s and 
Warehousemen’s Union) c. 1969-1971 (photocopy) 
3	Various mailings from the Indians of All Tribes, c. 1969-1970 
 	 	Various letterhead and envelopes from the Indians of All Tribes, c. 1969-
1970 
4	Indians of All Tribes Newsletter, February 1970 
5	Indian Magazine, with a statement from the occupation on Alcatraz   c. 1970-
71 
6	Audio cassette – recording of Joe Morris singing “14 Feathers over Alcatraz” and “Alcatraz Water Run” n.d. 
2 	6 	Indians of All Tribes Ledger “Spare Changer” pages, c. 1969-1971 
 	7 	Indians of All Tribes Ledger “Spare Changer”cover, c. 1969-1971 
 	 	 
CLIPPINGS 
1	7 	Three newspaper clippings about Joe Morris, n.d. 
2	5 	“A Right to Walk Like Men,” story from The Dispatcher, 11 March 1970 

POST OCCUPATION DOCUMENTS 
Box # 	Folder # 	Folder Title/Item 
 	
 1 	8 	Alcatraz Indian Occupation Diary, by Joe Morris and edited by Dr. Troy Johnson, bound, 1998.  Handwritten inscription by Joe Morris. 	
 	9 	Alcatraz Indian Occupation Diary, by Joe Morris and edited by Dr. Troy Johnson, spiral-bound, 1996.  2 copies, handwritten inscription by Joe Morris on each. 	
 	10 	Manuscript on Linda C. Morris by Joe Morris, 1997.  With pink “Deceased” ribbon and handwritten inscription by Joe Morris 	
 	11 	Linda Morris photograph and memorial, 1997  	
 	12 	GGNPA Postcard of “Modern Militant Indian,” 1997 [2 copies] 	
 	 	 
POSTERS 	
 2 	1 	“Alcatraz Proved a Point” color poster, of male figure kneeling on Alcatraz and honoring the buffalo running in the sky above the Golden Gate Bridge.  
Mounted on cardboard.  1 b/w negative.  	
 	2 	“Jim Blackhorse –‘Chief’ Richard Oakes – ‘Indian Joe’ Morris” color poster, with a male chief in headress straddling island holding two peace pipes, 15 April 1970.  Mounted on cardboard. 	
 	3 	“1973” color poster of male figure on horse holding American flag, by Jim Blackhorse?  Mounted on cardboard. 	
 	4 	“See Glacier National Park, Browning, Montana” b/w poster by Joe Morris, c.1990s. Mounted on cardboard. 	
 Map Folder 	1 	“30th Anniversary of the Occupation” 11 1/4” x 17” laminated poster, 20 November 1999, 2 copies 	
 	 	“Alcatraz Proved A Point” 18” x 24” color poster, mounted on board 	
 	2 	“Alcatraz Proved A Point” 18” x 24” color poster 	
 	 	“Indians of All Tribes 1st Anniversary Celebration” b/w poster, Nov. 15. Signed by “Indian Joe” Morris. 	
 	 	“Alcatraz Proved A Point” b/w poster, similar to color poster, 27 March 1972.  Two copies – 20” x 25 1/4”; 23” x 29” larger size stamped with All Tribes Arts and Craft stamp. 	
 	 	“Alcatraz Indianland” 23” x 32” yellow poster showing map of Alcatraz with overlay showing the impact of the Indian occupation. c. 1971-1972.  3 copies, one stamped with All Tribes Arts and Craft stamp.