February 27, 1973 - Wounded Knee - a podcast by Stephen Hammond

American Natives Occupy Wounded Knee, South Dakota for 71 days. In 1968, a number of native Americans in Minneapolis, Minnesota created the American Indian Movement (AIM), whose focus was to improve the lives of urban Indians and native Americans’ relations with the federal government generally. AIM members brought attention to their grievances by occupying offices, sponsoring a high-profile road excursion called Trail of Broken Treaties and confronting authorities. At the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, some native leaders were opposed to their tribal president, Richard Wilson, whom they accused of mishandling tribal funds and misusing his authority. These leaders asked AIM for assistance when they unsuccessfully attempted to impeach Wilson in February 1973. About 200 AIM leaders and supporters on their way to Porcupine, South Dakota (on the reservation) stopped at the village of Wounded Knee on February 27, 1973, where they took over several buildings, including churches and the trading post. Wounded Knee was significant in being thought to be the last “official” massacre of Indians by U.S. forces in 1890. (Reports say 146 native Americans were killed at the time.) The federal government acted quickly, sending U.S. marshals and FBI agents to blockade the community and put an end to the occupation. For 71 days, the occupation was marked by high level negotiations, promises to address grievances, and gun fire. Two occupiers, Frank Clearwater and Lawrence Lamont, were killed and Marshall Lloyd Grimm was paralyzed. By early May the occupiers were mostly out of food and medical supplies and they were concerned that the government would intensify their actions. An end to the occupation came on May 8, 1973, with government promises to look into grievances for native Americans. There is no indication anyone followed up on these promises.

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