Sunday, October 14, 2007

Condolences for Vernon Bellecourt's Family

Leonard Peltier and the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee extend our condolences to the Bellecourt Family. Vernon died Saturday, October 13, 2007 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota, surrounded by his friends and family.

Vernon Bellecourt, whose Objibwe name (WaBun-Inini) means Man of Dawn was a member of Minnesota’s White Earth Band and was an international spokesman for the AIM Grand Governing Council based in Minneapolis. He was 75. In recent years, Bellecourt had been active in the fight against American Indian nicknames for sports teams as president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media. He was arrested in Cleveland during the 1997 World Series and again in 1998 during protests against the Cleveland Indian’s Mascot, Chief Wahoo. Charges were dropped for the first time and he was never charged on the second case.

A Celebration of Vernon’s Life to be held on Monday, October 15, 2007 at All Nations Indian Church,1515 E 23rd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55404.

Wake to be held on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at the Circle of Life School, White Earth Reservation, MN.

Burial will be Wednesday Morning, October 17, 2007 at White Earth Reservation, MN

Respectfully,
Leonard Peltier
Toni Zeidan, Co-director- Leonard Peltier Defense Committee

posted by Leonard @ 4:53 PM