Dennis Banks

8 Collection Items

• Seizure at Gresham: A Retrospective

  A survey of the activities in and around the Alexian Brothers Monastery in Gresham, Wisconsin during the takeover by members of the Menominee Warrior Society. Includes comments by members of the Warrior Society, Ada Deer, Dennis Banks, National Guard commander Colonel Hugh Simonson, and others.

  Feb. 24, 197563 minSave
• Wounded Knee epilogue

  Kevin McKiernan presents highlights of his long, fastidious, coverage of the Wounded Knee controversy.

  Sep. 21, 1974Save
• Dennis Banks at University of Minnesota rally

  Dennis Banks speaks at a U of M Rally on the 1-year anniversary of the occupation of Wounded Knee. Says we only have to look to Washington to see who the real burglars are. We only have to look at Kent State and Attica to see who should really be charged with assault and battery. The real theft is coming from Washington DC, Dept of Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs. As long as corruption is alive on the reservation with terrorizing goons there will always be a Wounded Knee, there will always be a chance that we'll have to take a harder stand against people who shoot us down in the streets either here in St. Paul, Minneapolis, or at Pine Ridge or Wounded Knee.

  Feb. 27, 1974Save
• Dennis Banks on kidnapping and fears about reprisals

  There is fear that there will be more kidnapping, and ironically from poor and oppressed people that they?ll be hurt. We?ll take position to totally condemn any kidnapping, this or any other, that might innocently draw this country into being a police state. In Pine Ridge attitude of there being a police state exists already. When fear comes from poor and minorities to the degree where they feel there will be reprisals then we have to condemn it right at the beginning.

  Feb. 21, 1974Save
• Dennis Banks on Patty Hearst kidnapping and AIM position

  AIM leader Dennis Banks speaks out about Patty Hearst kidnapping, stating that AIM takes an immediate position of totally condemning the act of kidnapping.

  Feb. 21, 1974Save
• Dennis Banks discusses trial and government not honoring 1868 treaty with Olglala Indians

  Dennis Banks on Oglala Sioux and trial. Banks: We?re gong to remind the (jurors?), of course, of the call from the Oglala, we?re going to remind them of the responsibilities that this government has failed to live up to in the past, these many years since the treaty of 1868 was signed.

  Feb. 5, 1974Save
• Banks talks lawyers conveying Indian sentiment at the trial

  Banks talks about lawyers for the trial. Banks: It was the Oglala Sioux who made the appeal on Feb 27 and no lawyer could make that kind of that opening statement, none of these lawyers at least, with exception of Ramone Robideau, could make an opening statement as an Indian person himself, and in this case, an Oglala person. I would feel that none of these attorneys can convey that kind of message to the jury.

  Feb. 5, 1974Save
• Wounded Knee defendants Banks and Means speak at press conference, lawyer Kunstler speaks about the trial

  Both Richard Banks and Russell Means express their views on the Wounded Knee trial. Banks speaks first, interrupted by Means. He says Wounded Knee happened because of over 200 years of neglect by the BIA, total repressive action on the reservation. There's been total ignorance of treaties and sacred trust. The U.S. is on trial because of treaty rights. The trial is for all American people and their constitutional rights. Gladys Bissonette: "American government has put us under so much repression that we cannot stand up under it any more. After Wounded Knee we can stand up and fight back for our children, our people who are suffering".William Kunstler: "If we get a fair and impartial jury it will see through the grotesque and bizarre federal conspiracy prosecutions that have the goal of curtailing social movements. The trial has nothing to do with claims of indictment whatsoever, has to do with destruction of an entire movement. The government is trying to buy off witnesses."

  Jan. 7, 1974Save