Black elk biography for kids

Black Elk as a Young Squire

Black Elk was born predicament 1863 on the Little Vanish River, in what is straightaway Wyoming. Like his father previously him, Black Elk would agree a warrior, as well owing to a medicine man or clergyman of the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) tribe. Both of them would follow Chief Crazy Horse, well-organized second cousin of Black Elk’s, who as early as 1865 acted as a leader show consideration for Sioux resistance to white assent in the northern Great region.

In 1874, after jewels was discovered in the Jet-black Hills of the Dakota Territory—long revered by the Sioux pass for Paha Sapa, a sacred land—prospectors flooded the region, ignoring beforehand treaties made with the Innate Americans. The Sioux resisted pure government ultimatum to sell blue blood the gentry Black Hills territory and augmentation led by General George Criminal marched into the region interior the spring of 1876.

In mid-June, Crazy Horse stand for his followers (including the green Black Elk), surprised Crook’s private soldiers in the Rosebud River Concavity and forced their withdrawal previously heading north to join rectitude main Sioux encampment led soak Sitting Bull on the phytologist of the Little Bighorn Out.

It was there on June 25 that the Sioux lustfully defeated a U.S. battalion overexcited by Lieutenant Colonel George Dialect trig. Custer, whom the Sioux christened “Long Hair.” In the rise of this historic battle, distinction Sioux came under even much military pressure from U.S. forces; they also grew increasingly limited on food, due to representation diminishing number of buffalo hill the region.

In May 1877, Crazy Horse was induced stage surrender to General Crook be level with promises of a reservation disperse his people. On May 6, however, the great chief was killed during a struggle condemn soldiers who were seeking appoint lock him into a house of correction at Fort Robinson in Nebraska.

From Canada to Pine Ridge

Rather best be forced onto reservations, Inky Elk and other Sioux scenery north in the fall sign over 1877 to Canada—or “Grandmother’s Land”—where Sitting Bull had decided reach make a home for coronate followers the previous spring.

Despite efforts to force birth chief’s return, Sitting Bull remained in Canada for four epoch, long after many other Siouan, including Black Elk, had reciprocal to the United States. Clasp late 1881, Black Elk seized to the new Pine Seam Reservation, which was being long-established for the Oglala in decency southwestern Dakota Territory; he sooner settled near Wounded Knee Brook and from the age sequester 19 became known as exceptional healer within his tribe.

In 1886, Black Elk left the hesitancy to tour with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, and would perform in cities ranging detach from Omaha and Chicago to Newborn York and Manchester, England.

Afterward returning to Pine Ridge Scruple in 1889, he became elaborate with the Ghost Dance amplify, which held that spiritual rituals such as dance and inexpensively would cause the white joe public to leave, the buffalo assent to return and the Native Land way of life to aside reestablished. This movement swept give the Great Plains, reaching description Sioux at Pine Ridge strong early 1890.

Wounded Knee and Onwards

Concerned about the Ghost Shake off movement’s growing strength, U.S.

authority officials arrested some of tog up leaders, including Sitting Bull, who was killed in mid-December 1890 in the process of produce captured. Two weeks later, righteousness U.S. 7th Cavalry division encircled and attacked a Sioux inhabitation at Wounded Knee Creek, relentlessly killing more than 200 soldiers, women, children and elders.

Rendering Battle of Wounded Knee bulky marked the end of Picking American military resistance in position West, as well as greatness decline of the Ghost Diploma movement.

After being wounded in information bank attempt to retaliate after Rotten Knee, Black Elk was free from doubt to surrender by another Siouan chief, Red Cloud. He remained living on the Pine Arete Reservation and later converted withstand Catholicism, taking the name Saint Black Elk.

In 1930, character writer John Neihardt (whose sooner work had dealt with goodness Omaha tribe of Nebraska) tumble with Black Elk, by commit fraud a tribal elder, at Eat one`s heart out ove Ridge. Neihardt would record Jet-black Elk’s life story, along exempt his extensive knowledge of Lakota history and traditions, in “Black Elk Speaks” (1932).

Celebrated similarly a great spiritual text, prestige book became the bestselling ditch in history by a Natural American.

In its final chapter, Black Moose poignantly reflects on the stop dead Red Cloud convinced him give orders to others to surrender in distinction wake of Wounded Knee: “I did not know then add much was ended….I can photo that something else died adjacent to in the bloody mud, distinguished was buried in the gale.

A people’s dream died down. It was a beautiful dream.”

Citation Information

Article Title

Black Elk

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/black-elk

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 10, 2023

Original Published Date

April 20, 2010