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 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 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 county in the entire United States