Photograph by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
Words by Ruth H. Burns
Today marks 52 years since traditional Oglala Lakota, joined by members of the American Indian Movement and their supporters, occupied Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation for 71 days. This year’s anniversary is especially poignant, as it comes just a month after the prison sentence of Native American activist Leonard Peltier was commuted by President Joe Biden.
Long before its occupation in the 1970s, Wounded Knee—a settlement on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota—was the site of a bloody massacre in 1890 carried out by the United States Army. Soldiers opened fire on Lakota civilians, killing over 300 people—mostly women and children. Those slain were callously tossed into a mass grave that remains at the site.
The Wounded Knee Massacre stands as a tragic, infuriating culmination of the U.S. government’s efforts to eradicate Native American culture and strength.
The 1973 occupation began in response to a civil conflict on the Reservation. Pro-government Tribal members, who called themselves GOONs (Guardians of the Oglala Nation), supported corrupt Tribal government officials and targeted fellow Tribal members who opposed the leadership and upheld traditional beliefs. The internal strife grew violent, to the point that traditional Oglala sought help from the American Indian Movement.
The American Indian Movement was founded in 1968 in Minneapolis and included Native Americans from all Tribal Nations—many of them boarding school survivors and veterans—who organized against discrimination and failed federal Indian policies to improve the lives of all Native peoples. The Wounded Knee Occupation of 1973 stands in the annals of history as one of AIM’s most notable protests. Other remarkable actions included the Occupation of Alcatraz, the Trail of Broken Treaties (which led to the takeover of the Bureau of Indian Affairs), and the Standing Rock resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline.
During the Wounded Knee Occupation, federal authorities descended on the tiny village. Tense negotiations quickly expanded beyond local Reservation politics to discussions on treaty law and religious freedom. Two people—Frank Clearwater and Lawrence “Buddy” Lamont—were killed during the violent clashes, 12 were wounded, and at least 200 were arrested. Two prominent AIM leaders, Russell Means and Dennis Banks, were later accused of starting riots and committing assaults at Wounded Knee; they were eventually acquitted.
“The Wounded Knee Massacre stands as a tragic, infuriating culmination of the U.S. government’s efforts to eradicate Native American culture and strength.”
The Wounded Knee Occupation garnered massive media attention. For the first time on such a large scale, the public became aware not only of the continued existence of Native Americans in the modern era, but also of the serious issues they were grappling with. Today, Wounded Knee 1973 is credited with instigating groundbreaking pro-Native congressional legislation, including the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990.
AIM marked another historic moment earlier this month as one of its last original members, Leonard Peltier, was released from prison on February 18, 2025, after serving 50 years. His conviction stemmed from the alleged killing of two FBI agents during a shootout on June 26, 1975, at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The agents had reportedly arrived to serve an arrest warrant for another individual when a firefight broke out. Peltier admitted to being present and participating in the gunfire, but denied firing the fatal shots at close range. He was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for the murders.
On his last day in office, President Biden last month commuted Peltier’s sentence to indefinite house arrest.
Over the years, scores of prominent leaders the world over—including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, and Mother Theresa—campaigned for his release. Mandela, in particular, viewed Peltier as a political prisoner, much like himself. The FBI and other law enforcement officials, however, made no secret of the fact they wanted Peltier behind bars for life.
Critics have long maintained that Peltier’s murder trial was replete with errors and patently unfair. Defense attorneys accused the FBI of fabricating evidence and improperly influencing witness testimony. Bob Robideau and Dean Butler—two other AIM members accused of the murders—were tried separately and acquitted based on self-defense grounds. Key exculpatory evidence admitted during their trials was excluded from Peltier’s. Another man, Jimmy Eagle, was also accused; his charges were dismissed for lack of evidence. Ironically, the FBI agents originally arrived at Pine Ridge the day of the shootout to serve an arrest warrant for Eagle.
“Even while incarcerated, Peltier remained vocal, issuing statements on major issues affecting Native Nations and Indigenous rights and offering guidance and support to those in need.”
Despite it being a commutation and not a pardon, Peltier’s community and supporters consider his release a victory.
On the morning of February 18, 2025, Peltier—a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, hailing from the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in north-central North Dakota—exited Coleman Federal Penitentiary in Florida carrying his Canupa, or sacred pipe, never to return. For the first time in nearly 50 years, he was free to go home, reunite with his family, and spend his remaining days on his ancestral lands.
Leonard Peltier over the decades became a symbol for the American Indian Movement and for activists everywhere who viewed his incarceration as a wrongful conviction and his persecution as a grave injustice. His refusal to relent in the face of endless adversity has inspired generations of Indigenous peoples and their allies. Even while incarcerated, Peltier remained vocal, issuing statements on major issues affecting Native Nations and Indigenous rights and offering guidance and support to those in need.
Upon his release, Peltier flew back to Devils Lake, North Dakota before traveling to the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation by caravan. Along the route, hundreds of supporters of all ages lined the roads, holding signs, and cheering in celebration. While many worked tirelessly on Peltier’s clemency for half a century, few believed this day would come.
As he arrived home, Peltier exclaimed, “Today I am finally free! They may have imprisoned me, but they never took my spirit!”
For members of the American Indian Movement, February 27 has long been observed as Liberation Day or Victory Day, marking the anniversary of the Wounded Knee Occupation. Now, with Peltier’s release, we have another victory to commemorate every February. Though rare, victories serve as encouragement; as reminders to never give up—and to never surrender.
For more details on Peltier’s case, I recommend watching Incident in Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story, a documentary directed by Michael Apted and narrated by Robert Redford.
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On the Anniversary of Wounded Knee, Leonard Peltier’s Release Sparks Reflection and Hope
