AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT
1960s // 1970s
REASONS FOR THE MOVEMENT
The American Indian Movement is a Native American advocacy group that was founded in Minnesota in 1966. AIM was originally founded to combat incidents of police harassment and racism towards Native Americans, while concurrently addressing issues like American Indian sovereignty, treaty issues, spirituality, and leadership.
SUCCESSES OF THE MOVEMENT
AIM eventually achieved the establishment of several reservations, better schooling and housing, and a drastic reduction in prejudice and abuse towards native peoples. This progress manifested itself in such legislation as the 1972 Indian Education Act, the 1976 Indian Health Care Act, and the 1978 Indian Welfare Act. A series of landmark supreme court rulings, including Williams v. Lee and Menominee Tribe v. United States, upheld tribal courts and protected their treaties from state interference.
KEY PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS
- Dennis Banks- cofounder of AIM. He was enraged by the flagrant abuse and racism of the police toward the American Indian population, so he sought to create an organization to protect and ensure their civil rights. He participated in all of its major protests.
- Russell Means- actor turned activist. He joined AIM in 1968, played a vital role in organizing its protests and demonstrations, and become the organization's first national director in 1970.
- Anna Mae Aquash- highest ranking woman in AIM. She participated in all of AIM's armed occupations and protests until her murder in 1975; her body wasn't found until a year later.
THREE SPECIFIC EVENTS
- Indian Occupation of Alcatraz (69-71): 89 Indians launched from sausolito and traveled 5 miles to Alcatraz island and demanded the US government to recognize them as the inhabitants of it. When their terms were denied, the Indians commandeered Alcatraz for another 19 months until they were kicked off the rock.
- AIM occupied the office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs during the march on Washington DC (1972): while a negotiation was taking place in DC, Indians were found by guards and fighting broke out. The guards misunderstood that the Bureau of Indian Affairs had given the Indians permission to stay in the building past closing time. The guards were quickly overpowered and removed from the building. Indians ran through the building up furniture to barricade entrances and manufacture makeshift weapons.
- AIM occupation at wounded knee (1972): The occupation of Wounded Knee lasted for 71 days, during which two Sioux men were shot to death by federal agents and several more were wounded. On May 8, the American Indian Movement leaders and their supporters surrendered after some negotiations. Russell Means was arrested, but on September 16, 1973, the charges were dismissed by a federal judge because of the U.S. government’s unlawful handling of witnesses and evidence.
STATUS OF THE MOVEMENT TODAY
Today, AIM is still advocating for the rights of native peoples in America. In 2008, AIM lead the "Longest Walk 2", 30 years after the original walk. They are now more focused on the protection of Native American sacred sites, as well as advocating for environmental issues, including global warming.
Links
https://youtu.be/BlKc19OUR54: start at 2:43