BUFFALO, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo is hosting an exhibit to mark the 50 year legacy of the Attica rising.
The exhibit, “Open Wounds: The Fifty-Year Legacy of the Attica Prison Uprising," was created by the University at Buffalo Department of Africana and American Studies and UB Libraries.
The Attica uprising began September 9, 1071 when prisoners protested inhumane conditions at the prison, taking more than 40 staff members hostage. The uprising ended after four days of negotiations when the State Police took control of the prison. Ten correctional officers and staff were killed, as well as 33 inmates during the riots.
Lillian S. Williams, PhD, associate professor of Africana and American studies in the UB College of Arts and Sciences says Attica serves as a reminder of the issues of a flawed justice system
“I wanted that story to be told,” Williams says in a release. “This is about trying to get people to think about what we do as an American democracy to perpetuate our goals, our democratic principles, and how we treat people. I wanted to have conversations around such issues: What is incarceration and what does it mean in a democratic society? What about educational opportunities, and the disparities that we still see? What does it mean for our society when we lock up prisoners and throw away the key?
“I wanted to keep in mind prison reform and the ongoing debates taking place now. We imprison people for decades. What about rehabilitation and alternatives? What are conditions like for those prisoners? I remember the Buffalo newspapers’ coverage when the riots took place at Attica. While conducting research at the Library of Congress some years ago, I found a letter from a Buffalo Attica inmate in the 1930s complaining about the same conditions for which Attica prisoners were seeking redress in 1971. It dealt with racism, it dealt with the paucity of supplies, just basic food, health. Taking a bath was an issue.”
The exhibit was created so younger generations can learn about the history.
“Attica was incredibly complicated and tragic,” Scott Hollander, UB’s associate university librarian for administration and distinctive collections says. “The intent of the exhibition was to present and bring back the history into the public’s consciousness and encourage conversation, however uncomfortable it may be.”
The panel display is located on UB’s South Campus on the first floor of Abbott Library, and will be on display through September.