Gladys Bissonette, "the brave–hearted woman of Wounded Knee", was an Oglala Lakota elder who was one of the leaders of the traditional faction during the violent turmoil on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation during the 1970s.
Wilson favored mixed–blood residents and close family and friends for positions in his office and created a special enforcing unit, known as the "Goon Squad", to police the region.
"The past administrations all along have been pretty sly and crooked with Indian funds," said Gladys, "but they weren't quite as hard on us as this drunken fool we got now.
[2] Attending the meeting were two leaders of AIM, Russell Means and Dennis Banks, who were invited there to hear the people and see if they could help them with the injustice happening on the reservation.
"[2] After Gladys and Ellen Moves Camp spoke, Chief Frank Fools Crow declared that the group at Calico Hall should go to Wounded Knee to protest.
[8] Tragedy struck again on March 30, 1975 when Richard Eagle, Gladys Bissonette's grandson, was killed while playing with a loaded gun kept for protection from the Goon Squad.