American Indian Movement facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
American Indian Movement
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| Abbreviation | AIM |
| Leader | Dennis Banks Clyde Bellecourt Vernon Bellecourt Russell Means |
| Founded | July 1968 |
| Ideology | Indigenism Native American civil rights Anti-racism Anti-imperialism Pan-Indianism |
| Colors | Black Gold White Maroon |
The American Indian Movement (AIM) is a group started by American Indians in July 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It began to help Native Americans living in cities who were facing problems like poverty, unfair treatment, and police unfairness.
Soon, AIM started focusing on bigger issues affecting all Indigenous (Native) groups across the Americas. These issues included broken treaty rights, high unemployment, not enough Native American history in schools, and the need to protect Native cultures.
AIM was formed by Native American men who had been in prison. Many Native Americans had moved from their reservations to cities because of a law called the Indian Relocation Act of 1956 (1956). This law encouraged thousands of Native Americans to move, hoping they would find better jobs. Another law, Public Law 280, aimed to end the U.S. government's special relationship with some tribes. Because of these changes, many Native Americans moved to cities, hoping for a better life. In these new city environments, some Native Americans began to organize and work together, leading to the creation of AIM.
From November 1969 to June 1971, AIM joined other Native groups in taking over the old federal prison on Alcatraz Island. This protest was organized by groups like the Indians of All Tribes. In October 1972, AIM and other groups held a big protest in Washington, D.C., called the Trail of Broken Treaties. During this protest, they shared a plan with the U.S. government to improve relations with Native Americans.
Over the years, AIM has led many protests to support Native American interests. They have also helped bring back Native cultures, watched how police act, and created job programs in cities and on reservations. AIM has also worked with Indigenous groups in other countries.
Contents
How AIM Got Started
AIM, like other groups fighting for civil rights and against war, used newspapers and TV to share its message with the public. They created events that would grab the media's attention. If successful, news reporters would ask AIM leaders for interviews. Instead of just talking to politicians behind the scenes, AIM spoke directly to the American public. Its leaders looked for ways to get noticed and share their important message.
Important Events
During Thanksgiving Day in 1970, a group from AIM took over a replica of the Mayflower ship in Boston. This was to protest the way the Pilgrims' landing was celebrated without acknowledging the Native American perspective.
In 1971, AIM members occupied Mount Rushmore for several days. This huge sculpture is carved into a mountain that the Lakota people consider sacred. The land around it, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, was taken by the U.S. government after gold was found there. This area was originally part of the Great Sioux Reservation under the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868. But after gold was discovered in 1874, the government broke up the reservation and sold much of the Black Hills.
Native American activists in Milwaukee also took over an abandoned Coast Guard station. They were inspired by the Alcatraz occupation. They used the Treaty of Fort Laramie to argue that the abandoned federal land should go back to the Native peoples of Milwaukee. AIM protestors kept the land, and it became the site of the first Indian Community School, which helped Native children until 1980.
Also in 1971, AIM began to protest problems with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The BIA is a government agency that manages programs and land for Native Americans. In 1972, activists marched across the country on the "Trail of Broken Treaties" and took over the Department of Interior headquarters, including the BIA offices. They stayed there for several days.
AIM created the Twenty Points to explain their concerns about federal treaties and promises. They shared this list during their 1972 occupation. The list was mostly written by Native American activist Hank Adams. Twelve points focused on treaty promises that the U.S. government had not kept. Here are some of their main demands:
- Restore treaty-making (which Congress ended in 1871).
- Create a commission to make new treaties with Native Nations.
- Allow Indian leaders to speak directly to Congress.
- Review broken treaty promises.
- Ensure all American Indians are covered by treaty agreements.
- Give Native Nations money for treaty violations.
- Recognize that Native Americans have the right to explain treaties.
- Create a special committee in Congress to fix relations with Native Americans.
- Give back 110 million acres of land taken from Native Nations.
- Restore rights that were taken away from Native Nations.
- Stop states from having power over Native Nations (Public Law 280).
- Protect Native Americans from crimes against them.
- Get rid of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
- Create a new office for Federal Indian Relations.
- Fix the broken relationship between the U.S. and Native Nations.
- Protect Native Nations from state business rules, taxes, and trade limits.
- Protect Native American religious freedom and culture.
- Allow Native Americans to vote in national elections with local choices; free Native organizations from government control.
- Improve health, housing, jobs, economic growth, and education for all Native people.
In 1973, AIM was asked to help the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with problems related to law enforcement and disagreements within the reservation. AIM became deeply involved and led an armed occupation of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1973. Other events in the 1970s aimed to get public attention, making sure AIM was noticed and showing how Native American rights and self-governance were being taken away.
On June 10, 2020, members of AIM Twin Cities (a separate group from the original AIM) pulled down the Christopher Columbus statue outside the Minnesota State Capitol. Once seen as a great explorer, Columbus later became known for the terrible things he and his followers did to Native peoples during their trips to America.
The Longest Walk (1978)
The Longest Walk in 1978 was a spiritual walk led by AIM across the country. Its goal was to support tribal self-governance and to bring attention to new government bills that AIM believed would break treaties, threaten land and water rights, and cut social services for Native Americans. This 3,200-mile walk aimed to teach people about the ongoing threats to tribal self-governance. Thousands of people from many Native nations in the United States and Canada joined. Traditional spiritual leaders from many tribes participated, leading ceremonies. Famous supporters included boxer Muhammad Ali, Senator Ted Kennedy, and actor Marlon Brando.
The first walk started on February 11, 1978, with a ceremony on Alcatraz Island. A sacred pipe was filled with tobacco and carried the entire distance. On July 15, 1978, The Longest Walk arrived in Washington, D.C., with thousands of Native Americans and supporters. Elders led them to the Washington Monument, where the sacred pipe was smoked. For the next week, they held rallies to discuss issues like the proposed bills, Native American political prisoners, and forced relocation.
President Jimmy Carter did not meet with the walkers. However, Congress withdrew the proposed bills that the activists opposed. Instead, they passed the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. This law protected the rights of Native Americans to practice their traditional religions and ceremonies.
The Longest Walk 2 (2008)
Thirty years later, AIM led The Longest Walk 2. This walk covered 8,200 miles, starting from the San Francisco Bay area and ending in Washington, D.C., in July 2008. The Longest Walk 2 included people from over 100 Native American nations, other Indigenous groups like the Maori, and non-Indigenous supporters. The walk highlighted the need to protect Native American sacred sites, tribal self-governance, the environment, and to take action against global warming. Participants took either a Northern or Southern route, crossing a total of 26 states.
Northern Route
The Northern Route was led by people who had been part of the first walk. The walkers used sacred staffs to represent their causes. The group supported protecting sacred sites, traditional tribal self-governance, issues for Native prisoners, and protecting children. They also celebrated the 30th anniversary of the original Longest Walk.
Southern Route
Walkers on the Southern Route picked up over 8,000 bags of trash on their way to Washington. In Washington, the Southern Route presented a 30-page document called "The Manifesto of Change" and a list of demands. These included calls for action on climate change, environmental plans, protection of sacred sites, and improvements to Native American self-governance and health.
Working with Other Civil Rights Groups
AIM leaders were inspired by African American leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. They spoke out against unfair treatment of their people. They addressed problems like high unemployment, poor housing, and racism. They also fought for treaty rights, the return of tribal land, and supported Native Americans living in cities.
AIM's History
AIM Protests
AIM is against national and college sports teams using Native American figures as mascots and team names. Examples include the Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Blackhawks, Kansas City Chiefs, and Washington Redskins. AIM has held protests at major sports events like the World Series and Super Bowl games. Protesters carried signs saying things like "Indians are people not mascots" or "Being Indian is not a character you can play." Later, Cleveland and Washington changed their team names.
Even though sports teams had ignored requests from individual tribes for years, AIM brought a lot of attention to the mascot debate. Some college sports teams, like Florida State University and the University of Utah, have talked with the tribes whose names or images they used. They asked for permission to keep using them and worked together to show the mascot in a way that honors Native Americans.
Goals and Achievements
AIM has always worked to improve conditions for Native peoples. It created organizations to help with different needs. These include the Heart of The Earth School, Little Earth Housing, the International Indian Treaty Council, AIM StreetMedics, and the American Indian Opportunities and Industrialization Center (a large job training program). They also helped start KILI radio and Indian Legal Rights Centers.
In 1971, AIM members, including Dennis Banks and Russell Means, went to Mount Rushmore. They protested the illegal taking of the Sioux Nation's sacred Black Hills by the U.S. government in 1877. This was a violation of the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. The protest aimed to make the public aware of AIM's concerns. In 1980, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government had illegally taken the Black Hills. The government offered money, but the Oglala Sioux have refused it, insisting that the land be returned to their people. The settlement money is currently earning interest.
AIM Timeline
- 1968 – The Minneapolis AIM Patrol was created to watch how police treated Native Americans in cities and how they were handled in the justice system.
- 1969 – The Indian Health Board of Minneapolis was founded. This was the first health care provider for Native Americans in a city in the U.S. The United Indians of All Tribes and the Alcatraz-Red Power Movement occupied Alcatraz Island for 19 months. Some AIM activists joined them.
- 1970 – The Legal Rights Center was created in Minneapolis to help Native Americans with legal issues. AIM took over an abandoned naval air station near Minneapolis, bringing attention to Native American education.
- 1972 – The Red School House and Heart of the Earth Survival School (HOTESS) opened. These K-12 schools offered education based on Native American culture. The Trail of Broken Treaties was a march across the country to Washington, D.C., to show how federal policies had failed. Protesters occupied the BIA headquarters and presented a 20-point list of demands, many about treaty rights.
- 1973 – Legal action was taken for school funds after the government canceled grants to three AIM-sponsored schools. The court ordered the grants to be restored. The Wounded Knee occupation happened: AIM was asked by Oglala Lakota elders of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for help with justice issues. Armed activists occupied the town of Wounded Knee for 71 days.
- 1974 – The International Indian Treaty Council was created to represent Native peoples across the Western Hemisphere. The Wounded Knee trials took place. The judge dismissed all charges due to government "misconduct." Women of All Red Nations (WARN) was founded by Loralei DeCora Means, Madonna Thunderhawk, Phyllis Young, and Janet McCloud.
- 1975 – The Federation of Survival Schools was created to support 16 survival schools. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) chose AIM to sponsor the first Native American-run housing project, Little Earth of United Tribes.
- 1977 – MIGIZI Communications was founded in Minneapolis to produce Native news. The International Indian Treaty Council gained status at the United Nations. AIM proposed a law in Minnesota recognizing the state's responsibility for Native American education and culture.
- 1978 – AIM started the first adult education program for Native American offenders in Minnesota prisons. The Circle of Life Survival School was established on the White Earth Indian Reservation. The Longest Walk: Native Nations walked across the U.S. to protest proposed laws that would break treaties. The proposed laws were defeated. The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was passed, helping Native American children stay connected to their families and tribes.
- 1979 – An attempt by HUD to take over the Little Earth housing project was stopped by legal action. The American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center (AIOIC) was created to provide job training for Native Americans.
- 1991 – The Peacemaker Center was established for AIM Patrol and youth services, based on Native spirituality. The Sundance was brought back to Minnesota at Pipestone, Minnesota. The National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media was organized by AIM to address the issue of using Native American figures as sports mascots.
- 1993 – The American Indian OIC Job Training Program expanded. After an 18-year struggle by AIM, the HUD secretary ruled that Little Earth of United Tribes housing project would keep its right to give preference to Native American residents. At the 20th anniversary of the Wounded Knee Incident, the Oglala Sioux Tribe president thanked AIM for its 1973 actions.
Due to ongoing disagreements, AIM split into two main groups. The AIM Grand Governing Council (AIMGGC) is based in Minneapolis, while the AIM-International Confederation of Autonomous Chapters is based in Denver, Colorado.
- 1998 – AIM was in charge of security at the Ward Valley Occupation in Southern California, a victory against a nuclear waste disposal plan. On the 25th anniversary of Wounded Knee, the Oglala Lakota Nation declared February 27 a National Day of Liberation.
- 2000 – AIM founded a commission to seek justice for Ingrid Washinawatok and her companions.
- 2007 – The United Nations General Assembly adopted the "Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples." This declaration recognizes rights like self-determination, traditional lands, languages, and sacred sites for Indigenous peoples.
Other Native American Organizations
The American Indian Movement has helped create several organizations since 1968. Its focus on cultural renewal and jobs led to housing programs, the American Indian Opportunities and Industrialization Center (for job training), and AIM Street Medics. The American Opportunities and Industrialization Center, founded in 1979, has trained over 20,000 people for jobs. It helps everyone, regardless of their background. The Tokama Institute, part of AIOIC, helps Native Americans get skills for successful careers. AIM also helped create K-12 schools like Heart of the Earth Survival School and the Little Red Schoolhouse in Minneapolis.
AIM also led to the establishment of Women of All Red Nations (WARN) in 1974. WARN focuses on putting women at the forefront and fighting against unfair treatment and other injustices. Other Native American organizations include NATIVE, LISN, EZLN, and the IPC. While each group has its own goals, they all work for respect and equality for Native Americans.
International Indian Treaty Council
AIM created the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) in June 1974. They invited representatives from many Indigenous nations, and delegates from 98 international groups attended the meeting. The sacred pipe is a symbol of the nations' shared spirituality, connection to the land, and respect for traditional cultures. The IITC focuses on issues like treaty and land rights, protecting Indigenous children, sacred sites, and religious freedom.
The IITC uses networking and working with other groups to achieve its goals. In 1977, the IITC became a Non-Governmental Organization with special status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The organization works to involve Indigenous Peoples in U.N. discussions. It also tries to make non-Indigenous organizations aware of issues affecting Indigenous Peoples.
UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples' Rights
On September 13, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the "Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples." A total of 144 countries voted in favor. Four countries voted against it (the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand), saying they believed the declaration "goes too far." Eleven countries did not vote.
The Declaration states the rights of Indigenous peoples, such as rights to self-determination (making their own decisions), traditional lands and territories, traditional languages and customs, natural resources, and sacred sites.
Differences Within AIM
In 1993, AIM split into two groups, each claiming to be the true AIM. The AIM-Grand Governing Council is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was linked to the leadership of Clyde Bellecourt (who passed away in 2022) and his brother Vernon Bellecourt (who passed away in 2007). This group tends to have a more central, controlled political approach.
The AIM-International Confederation of Autonomous Chapters, based in Denver, Colorado, was formed by thirteen AIM chapters in 1993. This group argued that AIM has always been organized as many separate, independent chapters, with local leaders responsible to their local communities. They disagreed with the idea of central control by the Minneapolis group, saying it went against both Indigenous traditions and AIM's original ideas.
See also
In Spanish: American Indian Movement para niños
- Black Panther Party
- Brown Berets
- Republic of New Afrika
- Young Lords Party
- Zapatista Army of National Liberation
