Dennis Banks
Religious Leader
Native American activist and teacher who co-founded the American Indian Movement in 1968.
He was born on Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota.
In 1973, he and other AIM activists led an armed takeover and occupation of Wounded Knee but after a siege of 71 days by federal armed law enforcement the occupation was ended and he was forced to go underground to avoid prison.
He had seven children with his wife Jeanette Banks. He later married Darlene Nichols and they had four children together before divorcing. His third wife was a woman named Machiko, whom he also had a daughter with.
He occasionally got financial support from Marlon Brando.