Rethinking the Red Power Movement

Rethinking the Red Power Movement examines Red Power ideology with a focus on its many forms of solidarity with African Americans, the role of gender in shaping the movement, its international expansion, and its current meaning in contemporary activism.

The Red Power Movement is often considered the apex of Indigenous activism in the twentieth century. While diverse, the movement is typically told through four actions. Beginning with the occupation of Alcatraz in 1969, followed by the Trail of Broken Treaties in 1972, Wounded Knee in 1973, then culminating with the Longest Walk in 1978, there is a clear jumpstart, middle, and end to the Red Power Movement. Through a chronological approach, this study makes the case that Red Power never died―and neither did Indigenous activism. Instead, it shows how Indigenous peoples found many ways to push forward Indigenous sovereignty and continue to call on the United States to value Indigenous possibilities for justice, freedom, and power.

This book is useful for students and scholars interested in twentieth century America, social movements, and the history of Indigenous activism.

Sam Hitchmough is an Associate Professor of Modern U.S. History at the University of Bristol, UK. He is a scholar of Indigenous history, particularly activism since 1944, as well as being interested in memory, national narratives, counter-narratives, and popular culture.

Kyle T. Mays (Saginaw Chippewa) is an Associate Professor of African American Studies, American Indian Studies, and History at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a scholar of Afro-Indigenous history, urban studies, and contemporary popular culture. He is the author of City of Dispossessions: Indigenous Peoples, African Americans, and the Creation of Modern Detroit (2022).