"AIM, Indigenous Recognition and Rights," [Changed from Fridays listing]

What: "AIM, Indigenous Recognition and Rights,"

Who: Lecture by Dennis Banks, co-founder of the American Indian Movement

When: Saturday, May 5 at 6 pm

Where: CAFE Infoshop-- 935 F St. in downtown Fresno


Dennis Banks ~~ Native American leader, teacher, lecturer, activist and author~~is an Anishinabe born on Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota . In 1968 he co-founded the American Indian Movement (AIM) to protect the traditional ways of Indian people and to engage in legal cases protecting treaty rights of Natives.

Among other activities, AIM participated in the occupation of Alcatraz Island which lasted from 1969-1971, organized and led the Trail of Broken Treaties' caravan across the U.S. to Washington, D.C in 1972. Failure by the government to hold scheduled meetings with the caravan resulted in the seizure and occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office. It also spearheaded the move on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota in 1973 to oust corruption and the U.S. appointed chairman. These activities led to the occupation of Wounded Knee and a siege of 71 days. Banks was the principal negotiator and leader of the Wounded Knee forces.