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The Attica Uprising

NYS Documents

Since its creation in 1818, the New York State Library has been a repository of official state publications of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, commissions, public authorities, and other agencies of state government. The Library is the official New York State Document Depository and has the world's largest collection of New York State documents.  Many State documents are available in microform, and efforts to digitize selected documents are ongoing.

The 1971 Attica uprising is well-documented in this collection, which includes hearing transcripts and reports from various official inquiries and commissions. Attica: The Official Report of the NYS Special Commission on Attica is available online and is searchable. In addition, the Library has many supporting documents including annual and financial reports relating to the operation of Attica Prison, as well as to prison reform efforts in the aftermath of the uprising.

Overhead photo of Attica Correctional Facility with locations labeled with names in a list on the bottom

Aerial view of Attica Correctional Facility, with locations discussed in the report labelled.
From the report Attica: The Official Report of the New York State Special Commission on Attica.

 

Newspapers

The events at Attica in 1971 were widely covered in national, state and local newspapers.  The New York State Library maintains an extensive collection of New York State newspapers in hard-copy and microfilm, as well as online newspaper databases.

Secondary Sources

The State Library collects comprehensively in New York State and Local History. The library has many books about Attica (see the selected bibliography), collections of periodical literature, including a broad range of contemporary news and public affairs magazines, and scholarly journals in history and social sciences.

Online Sources

The New York State Library provides on-site access to a broad range of online research databases including full-text historical newspapers, and journals in history and social sciences. Remote access to these databases requires a valid New York State Library borrower's card with a P or R number.