History of American Indians and the United States

Wounded Knee I

Dr. Kane

mkane2@albany.edu Humanities 109 | MWF 9:20 - 10:15 AM

Office Hrs: M 10:20 - 11:20 & F 1:30 - 3:30

Social Science 60S

Wednesday, September 20

coming up

  • EC: Sept 28 11:30 Campus Center West Charlottesville roundtable
  • no class Friday Sept 22
  • studyguide on BB Fri, in class Mon

today's class

  • Indian Termination & Relocation
  • American Indian Movement
  • Wounded Knee 1973

where are we?

  • Allottment & Assimilation era 1890-1940
  • Indian Citizenship Act - 1924
  • Indian Reorganization Act - 1934
  • Termination era - 1940-1975
  • Public Law 280 - 1953
  • Indian Relocation Act - 1956
  • Self-Determination era - 1975-present
  • Indian Self Determination Act - 1975
  • Indian Gaming Act - 1988

    • LaDuke, Nuclear Waste & Buffalo Peoples

    • why were the reservations so easily targeted for nuclear dumping grounds?
    • why was buffalo hunting the “answer” to colonizers struggle with Native people?
    • how does the farming of non-Native people affect Native people and their lands?

    Indian Relocation Act - 1956

    • 72% of Native people live in urban areas
    • Minneapolis Little Earth of United Tribes
    • promises: job training, moving expenses, insurance, tuition
    • effects: tribal isolation, relocation into poor urban areas, areas with redlining, urban renewal, low-paying jobs

    American Indian Movement

    aim
    aim

    American Indian Movement

    • policing & pan-Indian solidarity Hennepin County Jail 1968
    • Alcatraz occupation 1969-1971
    • BIA occupation November 1972
    • majority women members missing in coverage

    Alcatraz 1969-1971

    alcatraz
    alcatraz

    Wounded Knee - Background

    • Indian Reorganization Act - 1934
    • Richard Wilson - dismissed remainder of elected government
    • ”there's no law against nepotism"
    • Guardians of the Oglala Nation

    Wounded Knee, 1973

    wounded knee
    wounded knee

    Wounded Knee - Buildup

    • Wilson's (non)impeachment
    • Custer, SD courthouse protest
    • 90% of US watching coverage
    • Feb 28, 1973: 200 protesters, several thousand Marshals, FBI, Nebraska and SD state troopers and National Guard

    We Shall Remain

    Confrontation

    • March 1: FBI & BIA roadblocks
    • March 27: DOJ negotiators cut off electricity, water, deliveries
    • April 1: Boston airlift
    • 2 Native deaths & 2 FBI/Marshal deaths
    • May 5: disarmament

    Aftermath

    • 60 deaths in 2 years following—GOONs
    • 1200 arrests at Wounded Knee
    • Leonard Peltier conviction, alibis & witnesses
    • Anna Mae Aquash murder