Oglala Sioux activist, born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, USA. In Cleveland (1970) he founded the second chapter of the American Indian Movement (AIM). His flair for guerrilla theatre, including the seizure of the Mayflower II on Thanksgiving (1970) and the Trail of Broken Treaties (1972), helped bring AIM to national attention. In response to clashes between police and AIM supporters in South Dakota, he and 200 followers seized control of Wounded Knee (1973) for 71 days. In 1974 he was defeated in a run-off election by Richard Wilson for the Sioux Tribal Council presidency, and although two federal probes sustained charges of threats, bribery, and ballot-stuffing, the Bureau of Indian Affairs failed to order a new election. He continued his calls for action at places such as the Black Hills and the Custer Battlefield National Monument. In 1992 he appeared in the film The Last of the Mohicans.
Means has also pursued careers in politics, acting, and music.Early Life
Means, an Oglala Sioux, was born on the Pine Ridge Reservation; Later that year, Means was one of the leaders of AIM's takeover of Mount Rushmore.
With AIM
In 1974, Means first ran for the presidency of his native Oglala Sioux tribe against the incumbent Dick Wilson. Although the official vote count showed Wilson winning by two hundred votes, Means charged that this was due to pervasive vote fraud and intimidation by Wilson's agents. An investigation by a federal court agreed with Means and ordered a new election.
Between 1974 and 1976, as AIM disintegrated from internal conflicts and the efforts of COINTELPRO, Means stood trial 12 times for a variety of charges. on August 23, 2005, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that under the Indian Civil Rights Act, the Navajo Nation has criminal jurisdiction over Means for an assault he allegedly committed on Navajo land, even though he is not a member.
In 1988, a group describing itself as the Ministry for Information of the American Indian Movement released a statement claiming that Means had publicly resigned from AIM on no less than six occasions, first in 1974 .
Other political involvement
Since the late 1970s, Means has often supported libertarian political causes, putting him at odds with several of the other leaders of AIM. In 1984, Means campaigned for the Republican nomination for vice president on a ticket with pornographer Larry Flynt; In 1986 Means traveled to Nicaragua to express his support for Miskito Indians who were allied with the US-funded contra guerillas against the Nicaraguan government. In 1987, Means sought the nomination of the Libertarian Party for president and attracted considerable support within the party, but eventually lost the nomination to former Congressman Ron Paul.
In 2001, Means began an independent candidacy for governor of New Mexico, but was kept off the ballot because of procedural problems.
Means has argued against the use of the term "Native American" and in favor of "American Indian".
Acting career
Means began an acting career in 1992, appearing as the title character in Last of the Mohicans. In 1997, Means published an autobiography, Where White Men Fear to Tread.
In 2004 Means made a guest appearance on the HBO program Curb Your Enthusiasm. Means played Wandering Bear, a calm and resolute American Indian with skills in both landscaping and herbal medicine.
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