AIM (American Indian Movement) 1960's
AIM was founded during the summer of 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota when 200 people responded to an invitation to a meeting called by Native American Activists George Mitchell, Dennis Banks, and Clyde Bellicerut. These men were frustrated over the way many American Indians were being treated by the government regarding the Indian Policy which were laws created by the government to assimilate American Indians into socity. These men were determined to see a change, and thus they became the founding fathers of what is now called AIM. The organization was created for anyone interested in seeing a change and fighting for Native American rights. AIM was also a way for American Indians to band together and protest against the government. Many of the leaders spoke out against slum housing, high unemployment, and no healthcare which were just a few of the things that Native Americans could not enjoy to the fullest. Many of the members of AIM were willing to risk their jobs, money, home and future to insure that the subsequent generations of Native Americans were able to enjoy the same civil rights as the rest of the world. One of the many strategies that AIM used in their fight for civil rights were local town meetings to address the current problems that the AIM and other Natives were facing. Other strategies included protests and demonstrations in front of town halls, and a march in Washington right up to the steps of Capitol Hill, which included speeches from many local Native activists.
