…John Trudell
John Trudell (February 15, 1946–December 8, 2015) (Isáŋyathi Dakhóta Oyáte) was an Indigenous activist, poet, musician, and actor whose life intertwined political struggle, artistic expression, and personal tragedy. Born on the Santee Sioux Reservation in Nebraska, he became a prominent leader of the American Indian Movement in the 1970s, advocating for Indigenous rights, treaty recognition, and social justice. In 1979, a devastating and suspicious fire claimed the lives of his pregnant wife and three children, profoundly shaping his artistic voice and activism. Trudell channeled his grief and convictions into poetry, spoken word, and music, releasing influential albums that fused Native themes with rock and folk, and appearing in films that highlighted Indigenous experiences. His work consistently explored identity, resistance, and spirituality while emphasizing the connection between Indigenous communities and the Earth. Trudell’s legacy endures as a symbol of courage, cultural preservation, and creative activism, inspiring generations to combine art and advocacy in the pursuit of justice.
…the Editors
Tara Evonne Trudell
Tara Evonne Trudell is a Santee Sioux/Rarámuri/Xicana multimedia artist, poet, filmmaker, creative healing consultant, and advocate whose work fuses handmade paper beads, poetry, film, photography, and audio to explore intergenerational trauma, Indigenous identity, and social justice. Drawing on her personal experiences as a daughter, mother, grandmother, and descendant of deep Indigenous and Northern New Mexico roots, she uses art to amplify marginalized voices and foster collective healing, often leading prayer‑bead workshops for survivors of violence, youth, refugees, and community groups as a way to transform pain into empowerment. Trudell holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Media Arts with an emphasis in film and audio, has created award‑winning films and projects that tie poetry to visual imagery and ancestral memory, and continues to reclaim Indigenous connection and ceremony through her creative practice and advocacy work.
Tim Fritz
Tim Fritz is a librarian and freelance writer.
…the Website
This website consists of interviews, statements, talks, testimony and speeches done by and with John Trudell from 1969 to 2015. The collection is compiled from online research and resources. This site is an attempt to centralize those resources in the interest of research and/or easy finding. Sources will be noted in each post, when available. Posts appear in chronological order.