Clyde Bellecourt--american indian

I am Clyde Howard Bellecourt and I was born May 8 1936. I am the seventh of tweleve children born to my loving mother and father Charles and Angeline. Born on the White Earth Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota, one of the largest and poorest reservations, I grew up always learning about the indian reservation on an Ojibwe tribe. My Ojibwe name is Nee-gon-we-way-we-dun, this means "Thunder Before Storm". In grade school I always ws taught about our founding father of this country, George Washingon. I didn't know waht to think of this because i was sure he did not look like my father. But I still was accepting the learning of this. As I got older I was sent to prision for American offenses such as burglary and robbery. It was hard because my family was so poor. Whil in prision I was taught much about indian history such as stolen land and broken treaties with the Americans. I was upset by this discrimination my people were having and through this I was soon becoming very intersted in getting involved in my culture and was becoming very spirited. This is around the time when i started the American Indian Movement, otherwise known as the AIM. Oficially started in 1968 but I otherwise think it was '62 as I thought this up in prision at this time. I have since been very involved as an active leader in AIM. I have since than started alternative schools for Indian children, helped negotiate the 20 solution paper presented at the White House, and founded the Legal Rights Center. A big meeting I participated in for representing AIM was the first non-governmental organizations hearnings on discrimination of Indigeous people. I have also founded many organizations fo support the Indian tribes in America. I am very proud of what I have acomplished to stand up for my rights and culure in America and will keep moving foward to hold my culture strong