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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 12 SepteMber 2022
South Dakota tribes buy land near Wounded Knee massacre site

By STEPHEN GROVES struggles and propelled a
Associated Press wider protest movement.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The family moved away
Two American Indian tribes from the area and put the
in South Dakota have joined land up for sale, asking $3.9
forces to purchase 40 acres million for the 40-acre par-
around the Wounded Knee cel nearest the massacre
National Historic Landmark, site even though the land,
the site of one of the dead- including an additional ad-
liest massacres in U.S. his- jacent 40-acre plot, had
tory. been assessed at $14,000.
The Oglala Sioux and the In 2013, film star Johnny
Cheyenne River Sioux said Depp announced a plan to
the purchase of the land buy the property and do-
on the Pine Ridge Indian nate it to the Oglala Sioux
Reservation was an act of tribe. Depp, who played
cooperation to ensure the the role of Tonto in a re-
area was preserved as a make of the film, "The Lone
sacred site. More than 200 Ranger," was criticized for
Native Americans — in- trying to capitalize on the
cluding children and el- film by making unsubstan-
derly people — were killed tiated claims of having
at Wounded Knee in 1890. Native American ances-
The bloodshed marked This Feb. 7, 2012 photo shows a cross on a grave at the Wounded Knee National Historic landmark try. Depp did not follow
a seminal moment in the in South Dakota. Associated Press through on the purchase.
frontier battles the U.S. Killer, the Oglala Sioux
Army waged against tribes. Marlis Afraid of Hawk, a chase of the land, but said Indigenous people's strug- Tribe's president, said the
"It's a small step towards member of the Cheyenne the joint purchase made gles with the U.S. govern- tribe's resolution for the
healing and really mak- River Sioux Tribe whose her feel "honored and ment. Jeanette Czywczyn- land purchase calls for it to
ing sure that we as a tribe grandfather, Albert Afraid grateful." ski became sole owner of be preserved as a sacred
are protecting our critical of Hawk, survived the 1890 Members of the Oglala the property after her hus- site.
areas and assets," Oglala massacre as a 13-year-old Sioux, Standing Rock Sioux, band, James, died in 2019. Manny Iron Hawk, another
Sioux Tribe President Kevin boy, said she was over- Rosebud Sioux and Chey- He had purchased the member of the Wounded
Killer told The Associated joyed to see the tribes take enne River Sioux tribes were property in 1968. Knee Survivor's Associa-
Press. ownership. She said she all at Wounded Knee in The Czywczynski family op- tion, said he saw the land
The tribes agreed this week carries on the oral tradition 1890, Afraid of Hawk said. erated a trading post and acquisition as another step
to petition the U.S. Depart- of telling her grandchildren She hoped the site could museum there until 1973, in the century-old Indian
ment of the Interior to take how her grandfather sur- be used for "education for when American Indian revival movement known
the land into trust on behalf vived by fleeing through a the people who come and Movement protesters oc- as the Ghost Dance. The
of both tribes. The Oglala ravine after a rifle held by a see the massacre site." cupied the site, destroying U.S. military was trying to
Sioux tribe will pay $255,000 U.S. calvary soldier failed to "They need to know the both the post and Czywc- suppress the Ghost Dance
and the Cheyenne River fire at him. history. It needs to come zynski's home. in 1890 after it had swept
Sioux tribe will pay $245,000 As a member of a group through the true, true La- The 71-day standoff that across Indigenous commu-
for the site, Indian Country that represents the descen- kota people," she said. left two tribal members nities with a prophecy that
Today reported. The title to dants of the massacre's The tribes' agreement ends dead and a federal agent colonial expansion would
the land will be held in the survivors, she had initially a decades-long dispute seriously wounded led to end and Native American
name of the Oglala Sioux raised objections to the over ownership of a site heightened awareness communities would unite
tribe. Oglala Sioux Tribe's pur- that has figured largely in about Native American for prosperity.q

Black preacher arrested while watering flowers sues police

eral lawsuit alleging the and other groups planned ment. Jennings, 56, was
ordeal violated his consti- a rally afterward at a arrested in May after a
tutional rights and caused downtown park. "I'm here white neighbor called 911
lingering problems includ- for accountability, and I'm and said a "younger Black
ing emotional distress and here for justice," Jennings male" and gold SUV were
anxiety. Michael Jennings told the news conference. at a house while the own-
filed the lawsuit Friday night The suit alleged the ac- ers — who are friends of
against three officers and tions of Officers Christopher Jennings and had asked
the central Alabama town Smith and Justin Gable, Sgt. him to watch their home —
of Childersburg request- Jeremy Brooks and the city were away.
ing a jury trial and seeking violated rights protecting Jennings identified himself
an unspecified amount of against unlawful arrest and as "Pastor Jennings" but
This image captured from bodycam video released by the
Childersburg (Ala.) Police Department and provided by money. guaranteeing free speech. refused to provide identifi-
attorney Harry Daniels shows Michael Jennings, right, in custody Jennings' lawyers held a He cited multiple continu- cation to the officers, who
in Childersburg, Ala., on Sunday, May 22, 2022. news conference outside ing problems including post arrested him on a charge
Associated Press the Birmingham federal traumatic stress disorder of obstructing government
courthouse on Saturday to and humiliation. operations after a 20-min-
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — officers while watering the discuss the lawsuit, and the Childersburg city attorney ute confrontation that in-
A Black pastor who was flowers of a neighbor who NAACP, the nation's old- Reagan Rumsey didn't re- cluded raised voices on
arrested by white police was out of town filed a fed- est civil rights organization, turn an email seeking com- both sides.q