On December 29, 1890, the infamous Massacre at Wounded Knee occurred. Three hundred sixty-five U.S. troops surrounded an encampment of Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. The Indians were told to disarm themselves and, as the last Sioux to do so, they began to comply. However, one warrior who was deaf did not turn over his rifle;consequently, the scuffle over Black Coyote's rifle escalated into a full-blown battle. Those Sioux who yet had their rifles tried to defend their tribes, but the 7th Cavalry opened fire indiscriminately upon men, women, and children. When some Indians tried to flee, they followed them and killed them. The wounded were left to die in a three-day blizzard. In the end, 200 Sioux were dead. Following the burial of the Native Americans, Americans lined up by the massive grave to have their pictures taken. Twenty medals of honor were given to the U.S. soldiers involved in this "battle."
In the 1970s a book, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by historian Dee Brown was written about this massacre, creating an awareness of the horrors of the incident. And, in 1972, Johnny Cash released the song "Big Foot," which related to the tragedy of Wounded Knee.
In 1973 the town of Wounded Knee was seized by the followers of The American Indian Movement who protested the slaughter of their ancestors and they demanded some sovereignty over their lands. For seventy-one days they controlled the town; then, fifty Federal Marshals moved in and what started as a vigilante war became a media circus. Both AIM and government records state that fire was exchanged for three months. John Sayer, a chronicler, reported that 130.000 rounds of ammunition were used. Federal agents were killed and Native Americans arrested.
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