Native American Leader. Vernon Bellecourt was a prominent member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), a group cofounded by his younger brother Clyde Bellecourt along with other Ojibwa men, Eddie Benton Benai, George Mitchell, and Dennis Banks. As an indication of his importance within AIM, Eddie Benton Benai officiated at his funeral. AIM was founded to aid displaced urban Indians and to protect them from police brutality. Vernon founded the third chapter (after Minneapolis and Cleveland) of AIM in Denver. He served as an AIM ambassador and fund-raiser during the 1973 Wounded Knee standoff in South Dakota and, as AIM national director, addressed the United Nations. He helped organize the first Treaty Conference in 1974, and, until his death, was a special representative of the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), an organization representing indigenous people of the Western Hemisphere to the United Nations. He also served as president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media (NCRSM) which has led the fight against American Indian mascots and logos.
Native American Leader. Vernon Bellecourt was a prominent member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), a group cofounded by his younger brother Clyde Bellecourt along with other Ojibwa men, Eddie Benton Benai, George Mitchell, and Dennis Banks. As an indication of his importance within AIM, Eddie Benton Benai officiated at his funeral. AIM was founded to aid displaced urban Indians and to protect them from police brutality. Vernon founded the third chapter (after Minneapolis and Cleveland) of AIM in Denver. He served as an AIM ambassador and fund-raiser during the 1973 Wounded Knee standoff in South Dakota and, as AIM national director, addressed the United Nations. He helped organize the first Treaty Conference in 1974, and, until his death, was a special representative of the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), an organization representing indigenous people of the Western Hemisphere to the United Nations. He also served as president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media (NCRSM) which has led the fight against American Indian mascots and logos.
Bio by: genealogyfever
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