More 1974 South Dakota: Pine Ridge and Wounded Knee

In the run-up to my 1973-74 assignment to study the White Mountain Apache tribe and reservation, I read — among much else by way of research — Dee Brown’s shocking and controversial book, “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”. (Read it, if you haven’t already.) Wounded Knee was also the site of a prolonged and violent protest occupation and takeover by AIM (American Indian Movement) Sioux members during my Arizona Apache stint, making big news throughout Native American communities and nationally as well.  A film was also made on the subject later on.  More

After I hit the road in late 1974, I decided to make a point of seeing the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.  Although I spent very little time there, expecting to give it more time on my return leg (never happened, unfortunately), I did grab some images of the mostly empty landscape as an adjunct to my sojourn through the Badlands.