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After wounded knee, he worked with the International Indian Treaty Council, an organization that advocates indigenous rights for Indians across the world. After a trip to Venezuela for international work with AIM, he fell ill with pneumonia and died at the age of 75 in Minnesota.

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Brothers of Clyde Bellecourt, Vernon was a well known leader in the American Indian Movement. He was the co-founder of the section of AIM in Denver Colorado and worked to ensure civil rights for American Indians. Bellecourt also acted as the AIM spokesperson during the 71 day standoff at Wounded Knee.

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1.)  What was the biggest event in the American Indian Movement?

2.) What was the main goal of the Indian Reorganization Act?

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Non-Indian children didn't do the same things as Native American children because their cultures were so dramatically different. By taking children out of Native American homes and putting them in non-Indian homes, it damaged their emotions.

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This law was made because there was a very high rate of forced removal of Native American children from their homes. As many as twenty five percent of Indian children were having to deal with being removed from their childhood home and put in a non-Indian home. Native Americans were worried that if this kept happeing, then soon enough there would be no one left for the next generation of Indians.

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In 2001, he called for changes in the Minneapolis school system because of the low percentage rates of American Indian Students that were graduating. Currently at 82 years old, Bellecourt is the director of the Peacemaker Center for Indian Youth, chairman of the Heart of the Earth Center, and organizer of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media.

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They belived that the governmet getting involved and interfering that it violated their rights. Specifically the first amendment, which states that they have the right to have their own religion and practice it.

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Dedicated to improving the lives of his people, Bellecourt was involved in the founding of AIM. Some members of AIM questioned his leadership and eventually him and his brother were banned for alleged crimes. It was at this point that the American Indian Movement was split into two groups. Although this was happening, he continued to work on improving his fellow Indian's lives by attempting to change education strategies in the local areas.

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The Indian Religious Freedom Act: (1978)

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The Indian Religious Freedom Act: (1978)

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The goal was to give back civil liberties to Native Americans. Some rights being freedom to worship through ceremonial rites and the use of objects that were considered sacred. They wanted the government to stop getting in the way of their free exercise of their religion.

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After his involvement with civil protests like the Wounded Knee, Means became involved in politics. He briefly left AIM to run for presidency of a tribe but rejoined shortly after losing.

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This walk started in San Fransisco and ended in Washington D.C. This march was very spiritual and significant to the people and prayers were often said along the way.

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Hundreds of Native Americans marched for five months in protest of the bills that were introduced in Congress that if passed would have taken away American Indian rights. This march was more than a protest to the Native Americans. It was a chance to reflect on themselves and take responsibility for building a foundation for generations to come.

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Means was an activist and one of the co-founders to AIM. He participated in many of the significant events involved with AIM, including the rally on Alcatraz. Where he gained the most recognition was after leading an armed takeover of the small town on a sacred Indian ground called the Wounded Knee.

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Its publicized protests in the 1970's somewhat created a bad image for the organization. There were well-publicized and controversial incidents of law-breaking during this time which harmed their reputation.

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After his charges were dismissed, he joined the U.S. Air Force and was sent to Japan. He was later court-martialed for being AWOL and returned to the United States, where he lived the rest of his life until he died in 2017

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This law was made because Native American wanted more control over themselves. It was significant to them because it gave them more strength to be independent, but still have rights.

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President Lyndon B. Johnson signed this because he was trying to solve the harassment on tribal lands. This law was the entire goal of the Native American civil rights movement and it took longer than it should have, but in the end they did it.

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Before the Indian Citizen Act was passed, Native Americans who were born in the U.S. weren't considered citizens. They weren't even allowed to vote. States took a while to fully adjust and allow them all to vote, but finally caved in 1948.

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On June 2nd of 1924, President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act. By doing this, he granted this huge step for Native Americans. He gave citizenship to all Native Americans in the U.S.

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This painting depicts the Trail of tears where Native Americans were ripped of their civil rights and where forced to travel on foot by US troops to Oklahoma. They had to travel in unbearable conditions and thousands of them died of sickness and starvation.

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Cherokee Community – of the inland empire

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One of the reasons it was created was to protect Native Americans from losing their land to the government. Hawaii, Alaska, and Oklahoma were exceptions to this law until two years later. This law was also passed because it was the first step the Native Americans took towards having more power to self govern themselves.

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This law is the biggest event in Native American civil rights history because it gave Indians the basic human rights they deserved. Some of those rights include the freedom of speech, the right to an attorney, the right to a speedy and just trial, freedom of the press, and many more. This new protection of freedom was the Native American's Bill of Rights.

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Founded by Dennis Banks, Clyde Bellecourt, and Russel Means, the American Indian Movement is a civil rights organization intended to help Indians who had been displaced by the government. However, it evolved into an organization that assisted in many demands of American Indians. The organization was highly involved in publicized protests in the 70's.

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Indian tribes such as the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek were forced to leave their lives behind in Georgia and travel to modern day Oklahoma. They had to give up all of their land east of the Mississippi river under the Indian removal policy. The President sent troops to do it faster. They were contained in concentration camps and forced to travel in extreme conditions. As a result, 4,000 Cherokees died.

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Dennis Banks: Founder of the American Indian Movement

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Dennis Banks: Founder of the American Indian Movement

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Banks was involved in early protests like the one at Alcatraz in 1972. Later on in 1974, he was remembered for his occupation of Wounded Knee, a confrontation between hundreds of Indians and Law Enforcement officers. He was charged with conspiracy, assault, and theft, but the charges were later dismissed.