The 1971 Attica prison uprising was a class conscious effort to tear down the curtain of silence & draw national attention to one of the most ostracized and exploited sectors of society—the millions of working class women and men forced to endure stark living conditions, as well as abuse behind bars.

Inmates also labored for 40 cents a day, assembling mattresses, shoes and license plates. Like nearly all prisoners under capitalism, Attica prisoners were essentially political prisoners.