Dick Wilson (tribal chairman) facts for kids

Richard A. Wilson (born 1934, died 1990) was a leader of the Oglala Lakota people. He served as chairman (or president) of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He was elected in 1972 and again in 1974, serving until 1976.

Some people complained that he favored his friends and family for jobs. They also said he used a private group called the Guardians of the Oglala Nation (GOONs) to stop political opponents. Because of these concerns, tribal council members tried to remove him from office in 1973. This process is called impeachment. The trial did not finish, and Wilson stayed in office. Many Lakota people protested, asking for Wilson to be removed. This led to a major event called the Wounded Knee Occupation. During this time, supporters of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and Lakota people took over the town of Wounded Knee. This standoff lasted 71 days.

After the Wounded Knee Occupation, there were reports of more violence on the reservation. Many of Wilson's opponents were said to have died violently in the next three years. However, an FBI report in 2000 questioned these claims. Wilson won re-election in 1974, but some said the election was unfair. A federal court, however, supported the results. Wilson was defeated in the 1976 election. He later returned to Pine Ridge and was campaigning for a tribal council seat when he died in 1990.

Early Life and Background

Richard Wilson was born and grew up in the town of Pine Ridge, located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He learned how to be a plumber and worked in that trade as an adult. He and his wife had ten children.

Wilson became involved in politics when he was elected as a councilor. He represented the village of Pine Ridge on the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council for six years. During this time, he led the council's Labor committee.

Becoming Tribal Chairman

Election in 1972

In 1972, Richard Wilson ran for tribal chairman against the person already in office, Gerald One Feather. Before this election, Wilson's political connections were mostly in Pine Ridge. However, he campaigned across the entire reservation. He sought support from both traditional tribal members and those who favored modern changes. Wilson did not support the protests organized by the American Indian Movement (AIM) that year. The election was very close, but Wilson won five of the reservation's nine districts. He also won by a large margin in Pine Ridge village.

Wilson officially became chairman on April 10, 1972. He helped create the first Indian housing authority on the reservation. However, some people began to see his actions as very controlling. In his first week, he questioned if a council member could serve because of where they lived. He also preferred to make decisions with a small group of five leaders. He often did not involve the full tribal council of 18 members until later.

Wilson's main supporters were from the town of Pine Ridge. Traditional tribal members, who often lived outside the town and followed older customs, criticized Wilson. They felt he was too close to white people. Officials from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) still had a big role in reservation matters. Opponents also said Wilson favored people of mixed heritage (he was of mixed heritage himself). They claimed he gave special attention and benefits to his friends and family. Wilson reportedly said, "There's nothing in tribal law against nepotism."

At that time, the Lakota Sioux people were suing the U.S. government. They claimed the government had illegally taken the Black Hills in 1877. This was against the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, which had set up the Great Sioux Reservation. Wilson wanted to reach a money agreement with the U.S. government. He planned to use this money to improve the tribe's infrastructure, education, and other areas. In contrast, the traditional members wanted nothing less than the full return of their land.

Rising Tensions and AIM

In early 1973, after a tragic event in a nearby town, chapters of the American Indian Movement (AIM) started forming on the reservation. The Oglala Lakota people felt that they were often treated unfairly in towns outside the reservation. They also felt unhappy about the difficult living conditions at Pine Ridge. Strong arguments began to happen between AIM members and Wilson. AIM leaders from outside the reservation threatened to bring their protests to Pine Ridge.

Wilson agreed with AIM members that high unemployment at Pine Ridge caused serious problems. He also believed the U.S. government had broken land treaties with the Sioux. However, Wilson saw AIM's strong actions as a "threat" rather than a help to Native people. He later described AIM activists as "bums trying to get their braids and mugs in the press."

Wilson strongly criticized AIM for taking over the Bureau of Indian Affairs building takeover in Washington, D.C., in November 1972. During this event, important Indian land deeds were lost or destroyed. Wilson warned AIM leader Russell Means not to bring activist violence to Pine Ridge. He even got a court order to stop Means and another person from attending meetings on the reservation. When Means spoke at a meeting later that month, Wilson had him arrested. He also tried to remove the Tribal Vice Chairman, David Long, who had invited Means.

In late 1972, Wilson created a private group called the Guardians of the Oglala Nation (GOONs). He said an earlier council decision gave him the power to keep law and order. He may have used tribal money to fund this group, which might have been against the rules. The GOONs were accused of using violence and intimidation against Wilson's political opponents. Opponents of Wilson claimed he was controlled by the U.S. government.

Impeachment Attempt

On February 9, 1973, tribal council members brought eight charges against Wilson. They accused him of favoring family in hiring, running the tribe without a budget, and misusing tribal resources. They also said he failed to get an audit report and did not call the full tribal council as required. The council members also claimed he used a small executive committee to bypass the housing board and illegally arrested a council member.

The Oglala Sioux Tribal Council voted 11-7 to temporarily remove Wilson from his position. They needed a two-thirds vote to fully remove him. Hearings began on February 22. Wilson said he was ready for the impeachment process to start right away. The council agreed to have Vincent Thunder Bull lead the trial, which began the next day.

The people trying to remove Wilson were not fully ready. They had expected Wilson to ask for more time. When the leader of the trial did not allow new charges, some council members and many people in the audience left. Soon after, the remaining council members voted 14-0 to end the impeachment process.

After the council meeting, several hundred protesters marched in Pine Ridge. Because of the high tension, the BIA superintendent ordered the United States Marshals Service to protect Wilson and his family.

Wounded Knee Occupation

Four days after Wilson's impeachment trial ended, local protesters and AIM activists took over the town of Wounded Knee. They were protesting the outcome of the impeachment hearing. They demanded that Wilson be removed from office. A letter from AIM chapters stated that they were helping the Oglala Sioux to remove their "corrupt tribal president, Dick Wilson." The letter claimed Wilson was supported by U.S. government agencies, making it hard for anyone to speak against him without being arrested or beaten.

The standoff with law enforcement lasted 71 days. During this time, two protesters died, and one marshal was seriously injured. This event brought national attention to Native American rights and conflicts on the reservation. While the standoff was happening, Wilson again tried to remove his Vice Chairman. He also fired tribal employees who had protested against him.

On April 4, 1973, FBI agents caught a group of AIM members leaving Wounded Knee. They were heavily armed and had a list of people they planned to harm. Wilson and members of his "GOON squad" were on this list.

After Wounded Knee

Violent conflicts continued on the reservation after the Wounded Knee incident ended. In the next three years, more than 50 of Wilson's opponents were reported to have died violently. One person, Pedro Bissonette, who had invited AIM activists to Pine Ridge, died in a reported fight with a BIA policeman. Residents accused the GOONs of setting fires and frequent attacks. Wilson was also accused of personally directing an attack on six AIM lawyers in February 1975, but no charges were filed. In 2000, the FBI released a report about these deaths. It explained most of them and said that only four deaths were unsolved. The report also stated that some deaths were not murders.

When Wilson ran for re-election in 1974, he faced many challengers. He came in second in the first round of voting. He then defeated Russell Means in the final election on February 7. A U.S. Civil Rights Commission investigation reported problems with ballots and many people voting who were not eligible. It also found issues with how the election commission was chosen. The report concluded that the election results were not valid due to "a climate of fear and tension." However, a federal court upheld Wilson's re-election. Wilson was only the third person to be elected to serve two terms as Oglala Sioux Tribal Chair since the position was created in 1936.

In the 1976 election for tribal president, Wilson was defeated by Al Trimble by a large number of votes.

Later Life

Wilson moved away from Pine Ridge after the 1976 election. He eventually returned to the reservation. He was campaigning for a council seat when he died in 1990. His death was caused by kidney failure and an enlarged heart.