In 1890, U.S. Troops slaughtered at least 150 human beings from the Lakota tribe, including men, women, and children. At least 20 American soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for their role, but there was no honor in what took place during the massacre at Wounded Knee, in South Dakota. Here is
one account:
AMERICAN HORSE: "The men were separated, as has already been said, from the women, and they were surrounded by the soldiers. Then came next the village of the Indians and that was entirely surrounded by the soldiers also. When the firing began, of course the people who were standing immediately around the young man who fired the first shot were killed right together, and then they turned their guns, Hotchkill guns, etc., upon the women who were in the lodges standing there under a flag of truce, and of course as soon as they were fired upon they fled, the men fleeing in one direction and the women running in two different directions. So that there were three general directions in which they took flight.
There was a woman with an infant in her arms who was killed as she almost touched the flag of truce, and the women and children of course were strewn all along the circular village until they were dispatched. Right near the flag of truce a mother was shot down with her infant; the child not knowing that its mother was dead was still nursing, and that especially was a very sad sight. The women as they were fleeing with their babes were killed together, shot right through, and the women who were very heavy with child were also killed. All the Indians fled in these three directions, and after most all of them had been killed a cry was made that all those who were not killed wounded should come forth and they would be safe. Little boys who were not wounded came out of their places of refuge, and as soon as they came in sight a number of soldiers surrounded them and butchered them there."
There are some who seek to make amends to the Native American people. And there are some who talk about it. One individual who said he wanted to help, is well-known actor Johnny Depp, who has appeared in multiple films for over three decades. In 2013, Depp told
Daily Mail he intended to buy the historic site. The actor who played Tonto in the film
The Lone Ranger, said he wants to gift back the land to the Native American people.
“It’s very sacred ground and many atrocities were committed against the Sioux there,” he said. “And in the 1970s there was a stand-off between the Feds (Federal government) and the people who should own that land. This historical land is so important to the Sioux culture and all I want to do is buy it and give it back. Why doesn’t the government do that?”
“It’s land they were pushed on to and then they were massacred there. It really saddens me,” he stated.
Since the Daily Mail article, there have been multiple stories and rumors, but no word of Depp making the purchase. Regardless, Depp does ask a good question. Why doesn't the government purchase the land and return it to the Sioux nation? In October of 2014,
Vincent Shilling with Indian Country Today Media Network reported:
One year after Wounded Knee landowner James Czywczynski told Oglala Sioux Tribe President Bryan Brewer he would be accepting outside bids if the OST would not pay the hefty price tag of $4.9 million; the infamous historic site still has not been sold.
Czywczynski told ICTMN that there are still several deals in the works, and that he is still working closely with Nelson Mathews, state director at the Trust for Public Land, in order to secure a deal in which it would ultimately be returned to the Oglala Sioux Tribe.
It's still unknown
who who has made bids to purchase the sacred land, and how unreasonable the land owner may be in selling:
To date the Oglala Sioux Tribe has not warmed to Czywczynski’s offers of such a deal and President Brewer, who had cancelled plans to meet with Czywczynski last year said “there was nothing to talk about” and the tribe was also considering taking back the land through the process of eminent domain.
Meanwhile, it's important to be reminded of the Wounded Knee massacre and the many other injustices suffered by our Native American people. Many thanks to all those working to educate the public while helping to right some of the wrongs.
Photo: This U.S. Library of Congress image depicts Big Foot's camp three weeks after the Wounded Knee Massacre (Dec. 29, 1890), with bodies of several Lakota Sioux people wrapped in blankets in the foreground and U.S. soldiers in the background.
This article has been modified to reflect a more accurate account of Johnny Depp's reported intentions. Thank you to the Daily Kos community for continuously calling for the truth.