Ellen Moves Camp, a name synonymous with unwavering resilience and fierce advocacy for Indigenous rights, passed away on April 5th at the age of 77 on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Alongside Gladys Bissonnette, she was revered as one of the "Grandmas of the American Indian Movement (AIM)," figures whose courage and wisdom propelled the Indigenous struggle onto the global stage. Her life, deeply interwoven with the history of the Lakota Nation and the fight for self-determination, serves as a powerful testament to the enduring spirit of resistance.
Ellen Moves Camp’s story is inextricably linked to the events surrounding the 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee, a pivotal moment that brought the plight of Indigenous people into sharp focus worldwide. However, to fully understand her role and the significance of Wounded Knee, one must delve into the historical context of the Lakota Nation’s relationship with the United States government and the systemic injustices that fueled the movement.
The Lakota Nation, originally possessing a vast territory encompassing much of South Dakota and portions of Montana and Nebraska, held title to this land under the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty. This treaty, a formal agreement between the Lakota and the U.S. government, recognized Lakota ownership, including the sacred Black Hills (Paha Sapa). This fragile peace was shattered with the discovery of gold in the Black Hills. Driven by greed and the insatiable desire for expansion, George Armstrong Custer led miners into the region, effectively violating the treaty. The U.S. government subsequently seized 34 million acres of Lakota land, forcing the Lakota people onto separate reservations, a devastating blow to their sovereignty and way of life.
Over time, the Lakota’s remaining land base continued to erode. The Oglala Lakota, one of the seven Lakota tribes, were increasingly pressured to lease their land to white ranchers for meager compensation. This economic exploitation, coupled with discriminatory practices, plunged the community into poverty and despair.
In the 1970s, government policies further exacerbated the situation. The federal government implemented a program that relocated Oglala families into clustered housing, ostensibly to reduce utility costs. However, this move also freed up more land for lease to cattle ranchers, further diminishing the Lakota’s control over their ancestral territory. Meanwhile, racial tensions simmered in the white towns surrounding Pine Ridge, resulting in the murders of over 100 Indigenous people, often with little or no justice served.
The Pine Ridge Reservation was plagued by rampant unemployment, reaching a staggering 90 percent. Traditional Lakota families and activists faced constant harassment and violence from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)-installed reservation government, led by Dick Wilson. Wilson’s paramilitary force, known as the GOONs (Guardians of the Oglala Nation), was armed by the FBI and used to suppress dissent and maintain control. Adding insult to injury, Wilson signed over approximately 200,000 acres of Lakota land to the U.S. government for use as a bombing range.
Underlying these overt acts of oppression was a more insidious agenda. The U.S. government had secretly designated the Paha Sapa as a "National Sacrifice Zone," a plan that threatened to permanently devastate the region’s environment and the Lakota people’s way of life. The Black Hills contain some of the continent’s richest deposits of weapons-grade uranium. The government planned to mine this uranium and coal, destroying over 188,000 acres of land. The resulting toxic smog and debris would have poisoned the region’s waterways and ponds, creating an environmental catastrophe.
Energy companies eagerly signed contracts to construct dozens of coal-fired plants around the Black Hills, envisioning a vast "nuclear energy park" consisting of 25 reactors. Test drilling commenced on a massive scale, and leaking uranium contaminated the aquifer, the only source of drinking water for the Lakota people. This environmental assault, driven by greed and disregard for human life, underscored the government’s willingness to sacrifice the Lakota Nation for economic gain.
It was against this backdrop of historical injustice, systemic oppression, and environmental threat that the resistance at Wounded Knee took shape. The U.S. government, anticipating billions of dollars in uranium revenue, was determined to eliminate AIM and any traditional opposition to their plans.
In 1973, traditional elders affiliated with the Oglala Sioux Civil Rights Organization (OSCRO) called upon AIM to come to Pine Ridge and protect the people from the GOONs’ violence. When federal marshals denied them access to the BIA building in Pine Ridge, AIM held a meeting in Calico, drawing 600 supporters. Over two days, they documented 1,500 grievances against the BIA and Dick Wilson’s corrupt administration.
It was at this pivotal moment that Ellen Moves Camp and Gladys Bissonnette stepped forward, challenging the men to take decisive action. Ellen Moves Camp’s powerful words resonated deeply, igniting a spark of defiance.
AIM warrior Dennis Banks recalled the meeting, stating, "The decision to take Wounded Knee came when Ellen Moves Camp pointed at us and said, ‘What are you men going to do about it?’ If the women hadn’t done that, we’d still be meeting at Calico." Clyde Bellecourt remembered Bissonnette asking AIM, "Haven’t you heard enough? Go back to Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, or Portland. We are going to stand here and be warriors." He admitted being stunned by the elderly woman’s challenge.
Wounded Knee was chosen as the site of the protest for its symbolic significance. The village remained under Lakota community control and held a tragic history. It was the site of the 1890 massacre of Big Foot’s band of 300 Lakota Sioux women, men, and children, who were peacefully moving to the Pine Ridge Reservation to escape starvation. Instead, they were brutally murdered by the U.S. Army Seventh Cavalry in the snow, a horrific act of violence that shocked the world. The world had heard of Wounded Knee through Dee Brown’s book, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee."
On February 27, 1973, approximately 200 Native people traveled to Wounded Knee to hold an early morning press conference, hoping to draw attention to their grievances. However, the government responded with force, launching an immediate attack. The press conference never took place.
The mainstream media largely ignored the extent of the government’s military deployment, which included 17 armored personnel carriers, 130,000 rounds of M-16 ammunition, 41,000 rounds of M-40 high explosives for grenade launchers, helicopters, and other aircraft. An army assault unit in Colorado was placed on 24-hour alert, highlighting the government’s determination to crush the resistance.
Despite the overwhelming odds, the standoff at Wounded Knee captured the world’s attention. Support committees formed to educate non-Native people about the conditions on the reservations and the importance of Native American Indian culture, language, and land in the fight against genocide.
During the 71-day struggle against the U.S. military assault, which involved the National Guard and armed FBI agents, Ellen Moves Camp played a crucial role as a negotiator for the protesters, engaging with the Justice Department to seek a peaceful resolution.
As Dennis Banks noted, "Once the strength was reawakened with the Oglalas, they became the principal negotiators—especially the women. Because it was their future. From there, AIM took a backseat. The further we stepped back, the further the Oglalas stepped forward."
Ellen Moves Camp, a member of the Wanblee community, had lost family members in the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee. During the 1973 military assault, her nephew Buddy Lamont was one of two Indians killed, a tragic reminder of the ongoing cost of resistance.
At the 1998 commemoration of the Wounded Knee occupation, Ellen Moves Camp warned that it was "just a matter of time before another Wounded Knee and… a violent confrontation with the U.S. government," highlighting the persistent threat of injustice and the need for continued vigilance.
Upon hearing of Ellen Moves Camp’s passing, Native political prisoner Leonard Peltier said, "Those of us who really knew her will dearly miss her as she was a big inspiration to all of us. She loved and fought for her People and the Nation without ever once that I know of complaining or asking for something for her personal use."
Ellen Moves Camp stands as an enduring symbol of strength, resilience, and unwavering commitment to Indigenous rights. Her legacy continues to inspire Indigenous people in struggle everywhere, reminding us of the importance of remembering the past, fighting for justice in the present, and working towards a future where the rights and sovereignty of Indigenous nations are respected and protected. Her spirit and the spirit of resistance she embodied will forever be remembered.