Dennis Banks, Native American Activist And Wounded Knee Occupier, Dies At 80

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October 31st, 2017

Dennis Banks, a leader of the American Indian Movement, burns a government proposal that would have let the AIM occupiers leave Wounded Knee in 1973. The Native American protesters then put the ashes into an envelope and sent it back to the government.

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Dennis Banks, a Native American activist who co-founded the American Indian Movement and helped lead the 1973 armed occupation of Wounded Knee, has died at 80.

His death was announced on Facebook, and confirmed by his family in a statement to The Associated Press.

Banks was Ojibwe and Turtle Clan, and his Ojibwe name was Nowa Cumig. He died surrounded by his family on Sunday.

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