Rock prison of Liberation: Alcatraz Island and the American Imagination

Exploring the concept of freedom is at the core of [the Alcatraz curricu-
lum]. Students contemplate, through the study of Alcatraz history,
their own definitions of freedom. As an island, as a prison and as a
center for Native American activism, Alcatraz has witnessed the ongo-
ing struggle to define freedom. . . . Students question the diverse expe-
riences and definitions of freedom on Alcatraz. Students also consider
freedom as defined by the U.S. constitution in the twentieth century.
Students will determine how Alcatraz Island has been a reflection of
society’s view of Freedom. . .’