Russell Means

Means at the “BRANDO” Los Angeles Premiere Screening and Cocktail Party, Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood, CA 04-17-07 s_bukley/bigstock.com

Birth Name: Russell Charles Means

Date of Birth: November 10, 1939

Place of Birth: Porcupine, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, U.S.

Date of Death: October 22, 2012

Place of Death: Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S.

Ethnicity: Sioux Native American [Yankton, Oglala, Wahpekute], along with one eighth Crow Native American, English, French-Canadian, Swiss-German, Scottish, Dutch

Russell Means was an American activist, politician, actor, musician, and writer. He was a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM). He participated in the occupations of Alcatraz and Wounded Knee, among others. His acting roles included the films The Last of the Mohicans, Wagons East!, Natural Born Killers, Pocahontas (1995), The Song of Hiawatha, 29 Palms, Pathfinder (2007), and Days and Nights, and the mini-series Buffalo Girls and Into the West.

He was a candidate for the Libertarian Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 1988.

He was born in Porcupine, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the son of Theodora Louise Feather and Walter F. “Hank” Means. He was named Wanbli Ohitika by his mother, meaning “brave eagle” in Lakota. In 1942, his family moved to San Francisco, California, where his father worked at a Vallejo shipyard. Russell was married to Pearl Means, until his death. He had ten children, including activist, actor, boxer, comedian, and entrepreneur Tatanka Means.

Russell’s father was of 68.75% European [English, Swiss-German, and French-Canadian], 25% Crow Native American, and 6.25% Sioux Native American [Oglala], descent. Russell’s mother was of 71.875% Sioux Native American [Yankton, and some Wahpekute] and 28.125% European [French-Canadian/French, Scottish, English, Dutch] descent.

Russell’s paternal grandfather was named Eugene Cuthbert Means. Eugene was the son of a white father, from Maine, and of a Crow mother.

Russell’s paternal grandmother was Nellie Allen (the daughter of Charles Wesley Allen and Emma A. Hawkins). Nellie was born in Wyoming. Charles was white, and was the son of William Maynard Allen, from New York, and of Sophronia Meeker. Emma was the daughter of Henry Hochstrasser Hawkins, who was Swiss-German, and of Susan Bissonette, who was of half French-Canadian and half Oglala Sioux Native American descent.

Russell’s maternal grandfather was John Feather (the son of John Sunkdiska Feather and Nancy LaPointe). Russell’s great-grandfather John was the son of a Yankton Sioux father and a Wahpekute Sioux mother. Nancy was the daughter of a father of French descent and a Yankton Sioux mother.

Russell’s maternal grandmother was Mabel Catherine Arconge (the daughter of Theodore Arconge and Louisa Bruguier). Mabel was born in South Dakota. Theodore was the son of Walter Ištatoto “Blue Eyes” Arconge, whose father was French-Canadian and whose mother was of half Scottish descent; and of Fannie Tascinaowicawi “Her Blanket.” Louisa’s father was Charles Matoska “White Bear” Bruguier, who was the son of Théophile Wowapikaga “Clerk” Bruguier, a white Canadian, from Québec, the first white settler of what would become Sioux City, who was of French-Canadian, English, and Dutch descent; and of Maḣpiyakaidewiŋ “Blazing Cloud” War Eagle Bruguier. Louisa’s mother was Margaret/Maggie Alice “Tateteka” Hope.

Source: Genealogy of Russell Means – https://www.findagrave.com

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