 |
Russell Charles MeansAmerican public figure, fighter for Indian rights.
Date of Birth: 10.11.1939
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Russell Means, American Indian Activist
- American Indian Movement
- Wounded Knee Occupation
- Political Controversies
- Legal Battles and Assassinations
- Lakota Republic
- Film and Music
- Personal Life
Russell Means, American Indian Activist
Early Life and BackgroundRussell Means, an Oglala Lakota Sioux, was born in 1939 on Pine Ridge Reservation. In 1942, he moved with his family to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he became involved in crime and alcohol abuse as a youth.
American Indian Movement
Means' life took a dramatic turn in 1968 when he joined the American Indian Movement (AIM). Inspired by the organization's militancy, he founded a chapter of AIM and led protests at the 1970 Thanksgiving celebration in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Wounded Knee Occupation
In 1973, Means and a group of armed activists seized the town of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation, claiming to reassert traditional tribal governance. The standoff escalated into a 71-day armed conflict with the police and FBI.
Political Controversies
In 1974, Means ran for president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe against Dick Wilson. After results showed Wilson as the victor by a margin of 200 votes, Means alleged fraud. An investigation substantiated his claims, but Wilson's administration overruled the findings.
Legal Battles and Assassinations
Means faced numerous legal challenges, including a murder charge in 1975 from which he was acquitted. He also survived several assassination attempts.
Lakota Republic
In 2007, Means spearheaded the Lakota Sioux's declaration of independence from the United States, establishing the unrecognized virtual state of the Lakota Republic.
Film and Music
Means appeared in several Hollywood films, including "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992), "Natural Born Killers" (1994), and the miniseries "Into the West" (2005). He also voiced characters in animated films such as "Pocahontas" (1995). In 1997, he published his autobiography, "Where White Men Fear to Tread."
Personal Life
Means was married four times, with his first three marriages ending in divorce. He had ten children. His final wife was Gloria (Grant) Means, an educator and former rodeo rider. Means passed away from throat cancer on October 22, 2012.
