From the Pages of 'Voices from Wounded Knee 1973' in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of Wounded Knee

Robert Free and Sid Mills lead the escort of the attorney general into Wounded Knee, for one of the rounds of negotiations. The Independent Oglala Nation asked for a referendum for a new form of government and had gathered 1,400 signatures, but the U.S. only wanted to talk about disarmament. From 'Voices from Wounded Knee 1973,' by Akwesasne Notes, fourth printing in 1976.

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Wounded Knee, honoring those who gave their lives. Pedro Bissonette had long been targeted as an organizer of the Oglala Sioux Civil Rights Organization. After Wounded Knee, he was shot in the chest at close range, in his car, by a BIA police officer serving a warrant on Oct. 17. The warrant was for charges during Wounded Knee. Photo: Voices from Wounded Knee 1973.

"During the siege at Wounded Knee, Pedro Bissonette, Vice President of the Oglala Sioux Civil Rights Organization, and Gladys Bissonette looked back on the impeachment proceedings and described their frustration at Richard Wilson's manipulation of his own hearing and trial, on February 22 and 23.

"Pedro: So then we, the Civil Rights group, were gathering a pow-wow at Calico Community Hall six miles north of Pine Ridge. We left Calico that morning of the 22nd at 9 o'clock - the impeachment was scheduled for 10 o'clock. We had a caravan of 150 cars, 350 members, at Billy Mills Hall. We circled Billy Mills Hall three times, we parked there and then we walked in. We had our drummers and singers with us, and we were singing. We had our peace pipe and our spiritual leaders with us. I was notified that the impeachment was going to be held under closed doors, and piped out through TV to the public. But I told them that the Civil Rights group members were demanding a public hearing. So they voted on it and gave it to us because there were so many of us. Six hundred and fifty were seated on our side. In the meantime, they postponed the impeachment until 2:00 and they showed a movie [Anarchy, USA, produced by the John Birch Society] about the colored people rioting and burning houses down. The only ones that were interested were the Council members. We were singing and doing our thing." -- Voices from Wounded Knee 1973, published by Akwesasne Notes.

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