Carter Camp facts for kids

Carter Camp (born August 18, 1941, in Pawnee, Oklahoma – died December 27, 2013, in White Eagle, Oklahoma) was a Ponca leader and a strong voice for Native American rights. He was an important activist with the American Indian Movement (AIM). Camp played a big part in the 1972 Trail of Broken Treaties protest. This event involved Native American groups traveling to Washington, D.C., where some protesters took over the Department of Interior building. Camp also helped organize the 1973 Wounded Knee occupation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. This action aimed to show the Lakota desire for their own self-governance, known as sovereignty.

In his later years, Camp spoke out against the building of the Keystone Pipeline. This was a large oil pipeline planned to carry oil from Canada to refineries in the United States.

Life and Activism

Carter Augustus Camp was born on August 18, 1941, in Pawnee, Oklahoma. He was the third of six children in his Ponca family. His parents were Woodrow Camp and Jewell McDonald. His father, Woodrow Camp, was also an activist for workers' rights.

As a child, Carter was sent to an Indian boarding school. These schools were part of a government plan to change Native American children's cultures. He finished school in 1959 at the Haskell Institute. This school is now called Haskell Indian Nations University and is in Lawrence, Kansas.

From 1960 to 1963, Carter served in the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Berlin. After leaving the army, he lived in Los Angeles. He worked as an electrician in a factory. He also served as a representative for his union, helping other workers.

Carter Camp married Linda Carson. They had several children together: Kenny, Jeremy, Victorio, Mazhonaposhe, Ahmbaska, and Augustus.

Joining the American Indian Movement

Camp became very active in politics. He joined the American Indian Movement (AIM) when it started in 1968. He helped create the first AIM groups in Kansas and Oklahoma.

With AIM, he helped lead the 1972 Trail of Broken Treaties protest. This protest involved a large group of people traveling in a caravan from the West Coast to Washington, D.C.. During this journey, a document called the "Twenty Points" was written. It listed demands for the United States government. When the caravan reached the capital, activists occupied the Bureau of Indian Affairs building. They presented their demands to government officials.

The Wounded Knee Occupation

In 1973, Camp helped organize the occupation of Wounded Knee. This event took place on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He led the first group of AIM members who took control of the trading post in the village. They also cut phone lines and asked government staff to leave.

Camp was one of the main organizers of this protest. He worked alongside other leaders like Dennis Banks and Russell Means. He also acted as the spokesperson for the group. Camp signed the agreement that ended the occupation. Because of his involvement in the protest, he faced legal consequences and served time in prison.

Continuing His Activism

After his time with AIM, Camp continued to fight for Native American rights. For over twenty years, he helped organize and take part in the yearly Sun Dance ceremony. This ceremony was held on the Rosebud Indian Reservation with Leonard Crow Dog. Crow Dog was also part of the Wounded Knee occupation.

Camp also organized protests against a re-enactment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He also protested against a motorcycle bar near his Oklahoma reservation.

Camp was deeply involved in protecting the environment. He helped organize support against the Keystone Pipeline. This pipeline was planned to run from Canada to the United States. He also spoke out against placing dangerous waste dumps on Native American lands.

Carter Camp passed away in Oklahoma on December 27, 2013. He had been battling cancer for a year.

Legacy

• In 2009, Carter Camp was interviewed for a PBS television show. It was called American Experience: We Shall Remain – Wounded Knee. This show was about the American Indian Movement.

Further Research

• "Wounded Knee: We Shall Remain", American Experience, 2009
• Robert Burnette and John Koster, The Road to Wounded Knee (1974)
• Vine Deloria, Jr., Behind the Trail of Broken Treaties: An Indian Declaration of Independence (1974 Delacorte Press, New York)
• Peter Matthiessen, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (1983)