In 1973, Kevin McKiernan had just begun his career as a reporter for NPR. His first assignment was an event unfolding in South Dakota. He had barely begun his interviews when the FBI forbade any members of the media from entering the Pine Ridge reservation after an armed contingent of Sioux Indians had taken control of the historic village of Wounded Knee. Kevin was unique among the other reporters.
While they stood behind the lines the FBI drew, the fledgling reporter made his way to a nearby American Indian Movement staging camp where a guide helped him past the blockades and into Wounded Knee. There, Kevin recorded the only film taken during the Wounded Knee uprising. In this documentary, he talks about his experience as the only reporter in the compound during the firefights with the FBI, giving us a unique view of the historic standoff and its aftermath.
This documentary is a tiny bit overambitious. From Wounded Knee to Standing Rock promises a little more than it delivers. Standing Rock and the DAPL protests are a tiny footnote in this otherwise dense documentary. Don’t offer this title to those looking for a deep study of current events or Native American movements; From Wounded Knee to Standing Rock is almost entirely historical. Despite this issue and some heavy-handed sound design, this documentary is quite spellbinding for anyone interested in AIM or journalism in the 1970s.
Kevin McKiernan and several notable AIM leaders give their recollections of the events on the ground in Wounded Knee and Pine Ridge, discussing not just the famous standoff with the FBI, but AIM's downfall due to corrupt local government—known as the GOONs—and the infamous COINTELPRO program.
McKiernan makes the documentary somewhat autobiographical, but his focus is on Wounded Knee and the people he got to know during the uprising. Those seeking an excellent breakdown of the 1973 Wounded Knee uprising and the events surrounding it will want to see From Wounded Knee to Standing Rock. Highly Recommended.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
From Wounded Knee to Standing Rock belongs on history and journalism documentary shelves.
What kind of college classroom could use this title?
Anyone studying the activism of the 1970s or speaking at length about the American Indian Movement would find this documentary excellent for classroom use.