Leonard Crowdog is a legend. He served as spiritual advisor to the American Indian Movement (AIM) and played a pivotal role at Wounded Knee during its 71-day siege in 1973. He will be speaking in defense of American Indian activist Leonard Peltier, next Wednesday, May 20 at 7PM, at the Native American Student and Community Center at Portland State University (on the corner of SW Broadway and Jackson Streets). David Hill, official spokesperson for the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, will also speak.
Organizers of the teach-in hope to raise awareness as part of a nationwide effort to renew support for Peltier’s release. Peltier was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for a sixth consecutive year, and last fall, President Obama met with Native American leaders and indicated his willingness to consider clemency.
Peltier’s case has been hotly debated as to his guilt and the fairness of his trial. He was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for the murder of two FBI Agents in a 1975 shoot-out on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. His story is vividly told in Peter Matthiessen’s book In the Spirit of Crazy Horse and in Michael Apted’s film Incident at Oglala.
The event is free and open to the public.
