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What really happened during the Attica Prison Rebellion - Orisanmi Burton

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On September 9th 1971, a spontaneous uprising began in a New York State prison. A group of prisoners overpowered guards, broke windows, started fires, and captured supplies, sparking the Attica Rebellion. Soon, over 1,200 prisoners had assembled with 42 hostages to demand better treatment and better living conditions. Orisanmi Burton details the revolt and deadly retaking of Attica prison.

The Attica rebellion occurred in 1971, on the cusp of what has come to be known as “mass incarceration.” How does this history of the Attica rebellion/massacre inform our understanding of the massive growth of incarceration between 1971 and the present?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Orisanmi Burton
  • Director Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat
  • Narrator Christina Greer
  • Animator Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat
  • Sound Designer Cem Misirlioglu, Greg Chudzik
  • Music Greg Chudzik, Cem Misirlioglu
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Cella Wright
  • Production Coordinator Abdallah Ewis
  • Script Producer Iseult Gillespie
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

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