Background
In 1974, activists Lorelei DeCora Means, Madonna Thunder Hawk, Phyllis Young, and Janet McCloud formed Women of All Red Nations (W.A.R.N.). Nearly 200 women from over 30 tribal communities participated in W.A.R.N.’s founding conference in Rapid City, South Dakota. The multi-generational group included veterans from the American Indian Movement (AIM), as well as first-time activists. W.A.R.N.’s leaders hoped to both rejuvenate a struggling movement and create new, previously unexplored opportunities for activism.
During the early 1970s, the FBI increasingly focused on stopping the actions of the American Indian Movement (AIM). By 1974, many AIM leaders were either imprisoned, dead, or hiding from government surveillance. W.A.R.N. aspired to fill the leadership vacuum and continue the movement’s progress.
At the same time, W.A.R.N. also hoped to formalize the role of women within the movement. Women had always been a strong force within AIM and other Red Power initiatives. It was time for that work to be officially recognized. In addition, W.A.R.N. wanted the opportunity to focus on issues that specifically addressed the needs of women. One of their primary concerns was the U.S. government’s deeply traumatic practice of forced sterilization of indigenous women. They also hoped to expand Native-led education initiatives, create opportunity for family stability, and support Indigenous political prisoners. Although W.A.R.N. spent a significant amount of time focusing on these so-called women’s issues, they also fought for the sovereignty of all indigenous peoples. In the 1980s, for example, they formed a coalition with white farmers to stop mining in the Dakotas.
W.A.R.N. provided an outlet for women who wanted to be agents of change. Beyond tackling these issues, they attended national and international conferences. W.A.R.N. members worked with women from diverse backgrounds, sharing their unique cultural perspective that revolved around Mother Earth and the sacredness of land.
Images
United States Commission on Civil Rights. National Indian Civil Rights Issues: Hearing Held In Washington, D.C., March 19-20, 1979. Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1979.
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