Russell Means (November 10, 1939 – October 22, 2012) was an American actor, Oglala Lakota activist for the rights of Native American people, and libertarian political activist. He became a prominent member of the American Indian Movement (AIM) after joining the organization in 1968, and helped organize notable events that attracted national and international media coverage. He was active in politics at his native Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and at the state and national level. Beginning an acting career in 1992, he appeared in numerous films, including The Last of the Mohicans, and released his own music CD. (More from Wikipedia)
In 1973, Redbone recorded the politically oriented “We Were All Wounded at Wounded Knee”. The Wounded Knee Massacre was the last major battle between American Indian tribes and the U. S. Cavalry; the battle had gained a higher profile in the American consciousness with the 1970 publication of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Dee Brown’s acclaimed overview of American history (particularly the Old West) from a Native American perspective.
Also, earlier in 1973, members of the activist group American Indian Movement (AIM) occupied the Pine Ridge Reservation near Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Russell Means (Oglala) – who died in October 2012 – is the best-known member of AIM and is arguably the most famous Native American of the past 100 years. Means was also an actor – he appeared in the 1992 film, The Last of the Mohicans – and released several albums in a variety of musical genres, including his version of hip-hop that he called “Rap-aho”.
(August 2013)
