Photography exhibit
chronicles AIM
by Liberty Finch
 Long
before U.S. administrations and neo-con militants were thumbing
their noses at international treaties or bombing places like Vietnam
or the Middle East, the government was engaged in domestic campaigns
to oppress or eradicate indigenous populations right in its own
back yard.
Anyone who can read between the lines of a homogenized classroom
history text knows that the European white man stole this country
from the native peoples who had inhabited the land, respectfully
and peacefully, for thousands of years.
The American Indian Movement (AIM) is a major civil rights movement
in U.S. history. Founded in 1968, AIM is a spiritual, cultural,
social, economic and political movement that has given voice to
Indian people whose modern day struggles have included, among other
things, discrimination, police brutality and property disputes.
St. Paul native Dick Bancroft has been photographing
AIM for decades. A pictorial history of his work entitled Hanta
Po—All of You Get Out of My Way is currently on display at
Ancient Traders Gallery. The work is a profound collection of images—a
mixture of portraiture and photojournalism—that captures the
rich history of a national organization that originated right here
in the Twin Cities.
Included are photos of many of AIM’s founders:
Clyde Bellecourt, Vernon Bellecourt, Bill Means and Dennis Banks;
as well as a series of portraits of the stoic and dignified Leonard
Peltier from his cell in Levinworth State Penitentiary. Bancroft
may have been snapping pictures simply as a means to document the
movement and its players, but the results portray an intense history
that captures the inspiration and determination of activists committed
to the struggle for social justice.
As Bill Means said, “It’s one thing
to protest, and another to provide and work for a solution.”
AIM worked tirelessly to promote civil rights for its people, and
Bancroft captures the passion of the movement at events like the
occupation of the abandoned building at the Naval Air Station in
Minneapolis; the Trail of Broken Treaties caravan that traversed
the country; the Longest Walk, to Washington, D.C.; and conferences
and summits in the United States and abroad.
“Listening to the Testimony on Sterilization
of Indian Women” was taken at the United Nations Conference
on Indigenous People and the Land in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1981.
The photo is a close-up of a young Native American woman sitting
with hands clasped at her chin, headphone cupped at her ear, looking
off to the side—a blank expression on her face, save for the
tears streaming down her cheeks. It’s one of the most powerful
images in the entire collection.
AIM’s successes are plentiful: passage
of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act and championing other
organizations such as Little Earth of United Tribes Housing, Heart
of the Earth Survival School, the Indian Health Board and more.
Bancroft’s contribution is a pictorial legacy that, visually,
could be the best civil rights history lesson you never had.
Bancroft’s work is not for sale. His purpose
is to document a movement and educate people on the continued struggle
of America’s indigenous populations. His photography collection
is a rich, respectful and compelling contribution
to the American Indian Movement. ||
Hanta Po runs through July 9 at Ancient
Traders Gallery, 1113 E. Franklin Ave., Mpls., 612-870-7555. Gallery
hours are Wed.–Sat. noon–6 p.m..
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