American+Indian+Movement

= **The American Indian Movement** 1960s - 1970s = ====The American Indian Movement was an organization of Native American radicals, founded in 1968, that fought for respect and Native Americans' civil-rights. The American Indian Movement was originally founded by Dennis Banks, George Mitchell, and Clyde H. Bellecourt. They called themselves AIM for short because it was their aim or goal to gain their civil-rights. They fought for better living conditions, better education, job opportunities, end of poverty, respect of Americans, equality, and to establish the rights of broken treaties.====

====The American Indian Movement was influenced and modeled after the African American Civil-Rights Movement. Both movements had a goal of gaining rights and respect from Americans and stopping segregation and racism. The American Indian Movement was also a responce to the fact that Americans had power over Native Americans and used force to control them (hegemony).====

==== Following the Siege of Wounded Knee Native Americans released the Three-Point Program. The Three-Point Program was a list of demands of the Native Americans; there were only three demands. The first of the demands was that the government analyze and enforce the circumstances of the treaties made between Americans and Native Americans that were violated. The second demand was for the cancellation of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. The last demand of the Native Americans was that the Bureau of Indian Affairs become a Native American-run organization and for apologies for the Bureau of Indian Affairs' dishonest way of dealing with the Native Americans previously. ====

**Indian Self-Determination and Energy Act**
====After many protests, fights, and struggles for their civil-rights the Native Americans grabbed the President Nixon's attention. President Nixon de​cided to give the Native Americans more governmental power to have control and the right to decide for their own people. In 1975 the Indian Self-Determination and Energy Act was passed. The act allowed the Native Americans rights and control over their own affairs. This was a success in gaining civil-rights.====

**Gain of Native American Rights**
====Finally, after all their efforts, the Native Americans began gaining their rights. They still may have been thought of as unequal, but had regained rights to fish and cut down lumber. From trials held in court they were paid by the government for the land that was taken from them and gained control over minerals found under their lands.====