Attica Uprising Community Remembrance Day
Bring your families, your stories, your art, and your hope. Together, we keep the memory of Attica alive—not just in grief, but in action.
-
The Attica Uprising on September 9, 1971, was one of the most important prisoner-led revolts in U.S. history. Its legacy lives on in every act of resistance behind the walls and every effort to build justice beyond them. At PBT, we believe the uprising was not an isolated event, but part of an ongoing struggle.
-
Each September, since 2020, the Prisoners’ Brain Trust hosts the Attica Uprising Community Remembrance Day to honor the legacy of the 1971 Attica Rebellion – a moment when prisoners risked everything to demand dignity, safety, and freedom. Held at the Poughkeepsie Waterfront, this annual event brings together community members, formerly and currently incarcerated people, artists, families, and organizers in a day of reflection, resistance, and joy.
-
We host the Attica Community Remembrance BBQ to bring people together—inside and out. It’s a space where we celebrate the strength and creativity of those impacted by incarceration, share healing resources, showcase art and music, and educate our communities about prison justice. From free food and performances to poetry, visual art, and community wellness, the BBQ is an opportunity to honor those who came before us and recommit to building the future they imagined. We do this to remind the world that incarcerated people are part of our communities, not apart from them. And we believe remembrance must be rooted in joy, resistance, and care.
This day is more than an annual event—it is a call to remember, organize, and build a future where dignity, safety, and freedom are accessible to all.
Learn about one of the most important prisoner-led revolts in U.S. history.
On September 9, 1971, over 1,200 men inside the Attica Correctional Facility rose up in protest of inhumane conditions and systemic abuse. After four days of negotiation and solidarity, the uprising was met with state violence—resulting in the deaths of 43 people, most of whom were killed by law enforcement. The legacy of that day lives on in every act of resistance behind the walls and every effort to build justice beyond them.
Take a look at our educational Zines.
Every year, our interns and inside team members create a collaborative zine with history, educational resources, and artwork about the Attica Uprising and its connection to current prisoner resistance.
Our favorite books on the Attica Uprising.
The Attica Turkey Shoot - Malcolm Bell
Written by a prosecutor who turned whistleblower, this book exposes how the state of New York buried justice after Attica.
Tip of the Spear - Orisami Burton
Radical, deeply researched re-telling of Attica and its aftermath through the lens of Black resistance and U.S. counterinsurgency.
Blood in the Water - Heather Ann Thompson
Pulitzer Prize–winning account of the uprising, the state massacre that followed, and the decades-long cover-up. Essential reading for any serious study of Attica.
Big Black: Stand at Attica - Frank “Big Black” Smith & Jared Reinmuth
A powerful graphic memoir told from the perspective of Frank “Big Black” Smith, one of the main spokespeople for the Attica Brothers. It recounts the uprising and brutal state repression in vivid detail.
Letters from Attica - Richard X. Clark
A collection of letters written by an incarcerated Muslim man who lived through the rebellion. Raw and intimate account.
A documentary we love.
Emmy-winning documentary using never-before-seen footage and interviews with survivors.
Primary documents.
Digitized government documents, letters, photos, and internal memos from the uprising.
Some podcasts worth listening to.
Resistance - Attica (Episodes 3 & 4)
Two-part audio docuseries on the rebellion and its historical aftermath.
Throughline – Attica: Rebellion and Reckoning
Exploring the uprising through firsthand voices, archival audio, and interviews with historians.
Ear Hustle – The Big Brother of Attica (Season 8, Episode 7)
Focuses on the personal and political legacy of Attica for prisoners today.
Got more resources you love? Email us at prisonersbraintrust@gmail.com!