20. The Attica Prison Uprising (1971)
At New York’s Attica Correctional Facility, more than a thousand inmates rose up, demanding improved living conditions, fair treatment, and political rights. The four-day standoff drew national attention as prisoners negotiated with officials, voicing grievances against systemic abuse. The rebellion ended in a violent assault by law enforcement, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries. Attica’s legacy endures as a symbol of the struggle for prison reform and human rights.
