Anna Mae Aquash

Nova Scotia, Canada

AIM

She fought for Indian people's conditions in the city.

Who killed Anna Mae?

• On February 24, 1976, Aquash's body was found by the side of State Road 73 in the northeast corner of the reservation, about 10 miles from Wanblee, South Dakota.
• In September 2009, Graham and Thelma Rioswere charged by the State Court of South Dakota with the kidnapping, rape and murder of Anna Mae.

Extensive testimony suggests that AIM leaders ordered the murder of Aquash; because of her prominent position in the organization, lower-ranking members would not have taken action against her without permission from above.

"Part of why she was so important is because she was very symbolic. She was a hard working woman. She dedicated her life to the movement, to righting all the injustices that she could. Ya gotta look at the basically thousands of women. You gotta remember that it was mostly women in AIM. It could have been any one of us and I think that’s why it’s been so important. And she was just such a good person."