Vernon bellecourt aim

Vernon Bellecourt, a longtime leader of the American Indian Movement, died Saturday at the age of 75 from complications of pneumonia. Minnesota Public Radio's Jess Mador has this remembrance.

Bellecourt was active for many years in the campaign to free AIM "AIM Leader Vernon Bellecourt Dies at 75".

Family members say his health deteriorated after a recent trip to Venezuela where he met with President Hugo Chavez as part of his work with the American Indian Movement. Bill Means, who's known Bellecourt since the late '60s, says he was more committed than ever to the fight for Indian rights. BILL MEANS: As a matter of fact, before he got real sick, he was talking about all the work that he felt that he still had to do, that he wanted to do as soon as he got out of the hospital.

He's been on the grand governing council of the American Indian Movement since BILL MEANS: I had a, should we say, a special gift for communication with people from all walks of life, from grassroots people all the way to various government leaders. But as a friend, he was loyal. He was probably one of the hardest working men I've ever known.

And he just created a trail of goodwill wherever he went. He was planning to protest at the Cleveland Indians game next week. Bellecourt was arrested in Cleveland for mascot protest during the and World Series. Charges were dropped the first time, and he was never charged in the second case. He grew up in White Earth before moving to the Twin Cities.

He was a hair stylist and owned a number of hair salons in Saint Paul and in Denver before joining the American Indian Movement.