People intimately involved in the Attica uprising 40 years ago met in upstate New York for a special symposium related to the anniversary. Heather Ann Thompson, a history professor at Temple, is working on a book about Attica and participated in a panel discussion during the two-day conference. "Despite the collective heroism and dedication assembled before you, there is a bit of bad news," she said. "We're all here 40 years after this ugly event, and the State of New York still has not apologized for using excessive force."