Leonard Crow Dog

Leonard Crow Dog Born 1942

Born Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota

Regarded by many as the spiritual leader of the American Indian Movement (AIM), Leonard Crow Dog played an influential role, beginning in the 1960s, in the effort to secure greater rights for Native peoples. A member of the Oglala Lakota, Crow Dog participated in numerous rallies and demonstrations across the country, and was often jailed in the process. He was also responsible for redirecting AIM's emphasis, speaking out not only for justice and tribal sovereignty, but also for the revitalization of traditional rituals and ceremonies that had waned in the recent past. His priorities shaped the Native American Self-Determination and Education Act, a landmark bill signed in 1975 that swung the pendulum away from acculturation and toward greater respect for cultural traditions. Crow Dog continues to write and give speeches and remains a conspicuous leader in the larger Native American community.

Credit: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Jack Rennert