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While the Black Americans of the time were gaining ground in their fight for civil rights Native Americans were still struggling. They did not receive any of the joys of the 1950s, and many Native families and even whole tribes faced mass poverty. Because of this Native Americans started their own civil rights journey with the Red Power Movement. -
The Red Power Movement strived for self-determination, and they wanted the government to pay for lands that they had taken illegally.
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AIM was Originally organized in Minnesota as a subgroup of the Red Power Movement. In time AIM became one of the leading Native activist groups that supported and worked alongside the Red Power Movement. AIM's goals called for the renewal of American Indian culture and recognition of American Indian rights. -
With AIM's progression, many Native tribes across the nation began to follow suit and most succeeded in regaining land or renegotiating treaties. Many tribes were given funds to repurchase lands or were given land outright. -
AIM sized a trading post at Wounded Knee in South Dakota. They gave the US government two options: either, "Kill us all like in the 1890s" or negotiate reasonable demands. The government did not accept this until after two AIM activists were killed and a US Marshal was injured. When the US government accepted AIM had demanded they look into the Beau of Indian Affairs for misconduct the Natives believed had taken place over the years. -
In 1975 Congress amended the Voting Right Act to require that voting information and ballots be made available to American Indians in their native language.