Born 1947
Niobrara, Nebraska

Native American activist, musician, and actor

John Trudell has been one of the leading voices for Native American rights for thirty years. Trudell’s entry into the struggle for equality began in 1969, with the takeover of Alcatraz Island (an island in San Francisco [California] Bay). Soon thereafter Trudell joined the American Indian Movement (AIM; see entry); he served as the group’s cochairman and national spokesperson from 1973 to 1979. In 1979 Trudell suffered a tremendous personal tragedy when his wife, children, and mother-in-law burned to death in an arson fire. Many people believe that the killings were instigated by law enforcement officials as punishment for Trudell’s political activities

The road to activism

Details about Trudell’s early years are sketchy. What is known is that he was born and raised on the Santee Sioux Reservation in Niobrara, Nebraska (in northeastern...