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Wounded Knee '73 | American Indian Movement | Native American History | YouTubeToText
YouTube Transcript: Wounded Knee '73 | American Indian Movement
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Summary
Core Theme
The American Indian Movement (AIM) occupied Wounded Knee in 1973 to protest historical injustices, treaty violations, and contemporary issues faced by Native Americans, leading to a 71-day standoff with federal forces.
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Wounded Knee
1973 prequel the 196s were a troubled
time in US history the war in Vietnam
and the Civil Rights Movement marked the
decade along with great music in the
midst of all the social happenings the
American Indian movement originated in
1968 arising from the concerns of Native
Americans in Minneapolis Minnesota
shortly the AIM the movement focused on
changing the life of Native Americans in
the urban environment addressing poverty
lack of political representation
discrimination and police brutality
members coordinated a neighborhood
Patrol to circumvent unjust arrests and
police mishandling of native residents
Clyde bort and Dennis Banks Chipawa from
Minnesota assisted in the creation of
aim later Russell means an aalas Su
became one of the more aggressive
leaders of the
organization the aim members sponsored
the trail of broken treaties in
1972 approximately 900 people traveling
from Seattle and San Francisco stopped
at reservations throughout the West to
point out native grievances toward the
US government the trail ended in
Washington DC with the Takeover of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs building from
November 2nd through November 8th
1972 negotiations between between the
White House administrators and aim
members resulted in an agreement that
included a pledge to deal with economic
social and educational Injustice of
Native Americans and to provide return
travel money following the death of
Raymond yellow thunder in February of
1972 in Gordon Nebraska the aim took
over Gordon Community Hall leaders
declared a victory after local officials
proposed the establishment of a human
relations board to investigate
grievances just one month before the
Wounded Knee Siege in Buffalo Gap South
Dakota Harold Schmidt killed Wesley
badart bow prosecutors charged Schmidt
with involuntary manslaughter in kuster
South Dakota aim members protested and
the courthouse and Chamber of Commerce
burned to the ground after that the US
government viewed the aim as a militant
group and increased surveillance of its
activities on the Pine Ridge reservation
in South Dakota aala Su leaders
requested the assistance of aim in order
to provide strength in their opposition
to tribal president Richard Wilson
elected in
1972 opponents of Wilson accused him of
mishandling tribal funds misusing
Authority and disregarding rules of the
tribal council after a failed
impeachment the US Department of Justice
sent out 50 US Marshals to the Pine
Ridge reservation to be available in the
case of of a civil
disturbance the Takeover begins on
February 27th
1973 about 200 aim members came to the
Village of Wounded Knee and took over
the Trading Post Museum gas station and
several churches those involved in the
Takeover considered Wounded Knee of
historical significance because of the
1890 Massacre that occurred at the spot
in 1890 the US Army killed 200 50 to 300
Lakota Sue with 25 Army casualties the
goals set by aim leaders were support
for the Reformation of tribal government
as well as bringing attention to the
injustices done to Native American
people Russell Means as an aim
spokesperson requested Congressional
investigations into conditions on all
reservations and the corruption of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs means
specifically wanted a hearing to take
place concerning treaties and treaty
rights news of the Takeover reached US
Marshals at Pine Ridge and they placed
road blocks at all entrances to Wounded
Knee to prevent access to the area US
Marshals and FBI agents set a total of
six roadblocks along with five
observation points throughout the
occupation to keep people from entering
or leaving Wounded Knee however aim and
supporters entered the area by Overland
routes bringing in supplies
law enforcement groups consisted of the
US Marshall service the FBI and the
Bureau of Indian
Affairs start of the
troubles after the Takeover sporadic
gunfire between US forces and the aim
marked the first days of the occupation
aim forces fortified the area by
building trenches nine bunkers setting
up roadblocks and establishing foot
patrols the natives also relied on
combat experience from Vietnam veterans
in their ranks the aim stated that the
occupation would end if requests were
considered and a meeting took place to
discuss injustices done to Native
Americans Senators James aesque and
George McGovern alongside two AIDS from
Senator Ted Kennedy's office arrived on
March 1st they agreed to Congressional
committee hearings and Bia officers to
be transferred officials decided to
continue roadblocks to limit entrance
into the area
aim leaders made a statement on March
4th declaring they would leave wounded
KNE if the US government left and
allowed the Lakota to work out the
conflict amongst themselves Ralph
Erikson Special Assistant to the
attorney general countered this proposal
by stating that if the occupiers would
leave Wounded Knee by March 8th abandon
weapons and identify themselves they
would not be subject to immediate arrest
Richard Wilson organized a special
police force that became known as the
Goon Squad Wilson and his forces
participated in gunfire exchanges on
several occasions by March 8th both
sides rejected
negotiations after that the government
removed the roadblocks thinking the
Lakota would disperse given the chance
not to be arrested contrary to that the
aim saw this as a victory and more
supporters entered Wounded Knee bringing
supplies and food on March 11th four
postal inspectors entered the village to
inspect postal property the aim took
them hostage thinking they were sent to
gain information after 4 hours they were
released and the roadblocks were
reinstalled on the same day the Lakota
announced the creation of the
independent ogala nation or onon the on
established a provisional government and
stated the return to the Treaty of 1868
as its basis leaders stated that the on
would negotiate with the United States
Nation to Nation their demands were now
changes within the Bureau of Indian
Affairs meetings with government
administrators tribal president Richard
Wilson to be removed from office
suspension of the tribal Constitution a
return to government as it existed under
the Indian reorganization Act and
negotiations based on the 1868 treaty
the day after FBI agents pursued ued a
van that attempted to enter the village
in the pursuit a firefight broke out and
an FBI agent took a wound to the wrist
in order to assist the aim and the
Lakota supporters created the Wounded
Knee legal defense offense committee and
managed to negotiate that six lawyers
each with a carload of food to enter
Wounded Knee each day from March 26
through March
31st law enforcement agreed to the deal
but Richard Wilson and his police set up
the roadblocks and seized all food from
the Cars gunfire exchanges between
forces occurred sporadically both sides
established violated and reinstated
ceasefires aim security US forces and on
occasion the Tribal Police exchanged
fire on March 26th there was Heavy
firing after Wilson set up a roadblock
outside the federal perimeter during
this exchange us Lloyd Grim received a
wound that paralyzed him from the waist
down by the end of April 2nd deaths
occurred as a result of increased
gunfire Frank Clearwater and Lawrence
Lamont died both forces established a
ceasefire after that after multiple
failed negotiation attempts leaders from
the Civil Rights Division and six FBI
agents met with aim and Lakota leaders
to discuss the misuse of tribal funds
and complaints of of harassment from Wilson's
Wilson's
forces negotiations move
forward on April 5th the US government
and aim leaders signed a dispossession
agreement the terms of the agreement
stated that Russell Means should submit
himself for arrest and be taken into
custody and on April 7th at 7:00 a.m.
aim leaders were to lay down their arms
a meeting would take place between aim
leaders and a representative of the
White House to discuss the possib
of looking into the matter of Indian
treaties means was arrested and after he
made bond left for Washington
DC the agreement proved faulty as means
stated that the aim at Wounded Knee
never agreed to lay down arms until the
conclusion of a white house meeting by
April 24th a negotiation team returned
to Wounded Knee led by Kent friselle the
US government still preferred to
negotiate with the aim forces rather
than resort to any aggressive attack on
May 5th Leonard garit consultant to the
president sent a letter to Frank fools
the letter stated that White House
Representatives would meet with a Teton
Sue in order to examine the 1868 treaty
this meeting would not take place until
the dispossession of a wounded knee
occurred both forces signed the
dispossession agreement on May 5th the
agreement contains specific steps to be
implemented on May 9th at 7:00 a.m. all
persons were to leave Wounded Knee and
identify themselves and those with
outstanding warrants would be arrested
arrested
dispossession by May 8th half of the aim
Community had left Wounded Knee
according to the timetable agreed upon
government forces entered Wounded Knee
to collect all weapons and transport
remaining aim supporters to the the
government roadblock defense committee
lawyers remained at the government
roadblock to witness the processing
procedure out of the 129 people
processed 110 were Native Americans
Federal forces destroyed aim security
bunkers along with government bunkers
and completed the evacuation of Wounded
Knee by the end of the day several
issues influenced the aim decision to
end the occupation such as lack of food
electrical power and medical supplies
the occupation had lasted 71 days
aftermath on July 17th a proposal for a
senate joint resolution in order to
establish an Indian policy Review
Committee was made its purpose included
a review of the legal relationship
between Native Americans and the US
government and to provide support for
the development of more effective
policies during 1974 Russell Means lost
a campaign against Richard Wilson for
the tribal president at Pine Ridge means
was concurrently on trial in St Paul
Minnesota on charges from the Wounded
Knee incident the trial lasted for over
8 months and resulted in the dismissal
of all charges against both means and
Dennis banks in the three years
following the standoff Pine Ridge had
the highest per capita murder rate in
the country resuming a quiet war two FBI
agents were among the dead today the
Pine Ridge reservation is the largest
community in what may be the poorest
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