Richard Two Elk facts for kids

Richard Two Elk is a Native American combat veteran, journalist, and civil rights activist. He is well-known for being part of the Wounded Knee incident in the 1970s and for hosting radio shows.

Early Life and Family

Richard Two Elk was born in Rapid City, South Dakota. He grew up in different parts of the United States. Richard is a direct descendant of Oglala Dakota Chief Two Elk.

His brother, Aaron Two Elk, also served in the military during the Vietnam War. Aaron was involved with the American Indian Movement. He also led an organization in Atlanta called American Land Struggles. Aaron Two Elk passed away in 1994.

Career in Radio and Military

Richard Two Elk started his career in public radio in 1977. He worked on a weekly Native American radio program. This show was on Pacifica Radio station KPFA-FM in Berkeley, California.

In 1978, he moved to Boulder, Colorado. There, he helped create a Native American radio program at KGNU-FM. He stayed with KGNU until 1983.

Military Service

In 1983, Richard Two Elk joined the United States Army. He served as a medical non-commissioned officer until 1987. After his military service, he continued to work with KGNU. Since 1990, he has hosted "WinterCamp Chronicles: Indian Voices of Our Times" once a month.

Two Elk also started his own company, OG Productions. This company focuses on multimedia production.

Activism and the American Indian Movement

Richard Two Elk was a member of the Denver chapter of the American Indian Movement (AIM). He was active with the group from 1970 to 1975. He later decided to step back from active membership.

Wounded Knee Incident

Richard Two Elk was involved in the Wounded Knee incident in the 1970s. This was a major event where members of AIM occupied Wounded Knee. During this time, he met civil rights activist Ray Robinson. Two Elk later shared his observations about Robinson's actions during the incident.

Testimony and Views

Two Elk later provided testimony in a federal trial. This trial was about the death of activist Annie Mae Pictou-Aquash. Richard testified that his adopted brother, Arlo Looking Cloud, had contacted him. Looking Cloud had asked for advice about authorities investigating the case. Looking Cloud was later found guilty in the death of Annie Mae Pictou-Aquash in 2004.

Richard Two Elk has also shared his thoughts on the American Indian Movement. He published a video called "Richard Two Elk on Wounded Knee and the Truth-Hijacked & Blinded: The Stolen Legacy of Wounded Knee." In this video, he discussed some of the group's actions. He also criticized a TV series about Wounded Knee on PBS called "We Shall Remain." He felt that the part about the Wounded Knee siege was not entirely accurate.

Legacy and Writings

Richard Two Elk has spoken about the events of the Wounded Knee incident. He also wrote the foreword for a book. This book was about the events surrounding the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the American Indian Movement in the 1970s. It shared the perspective of a former FBI agent.