Liberation Day. February 27, 2026 marks the 53rd anniversary of the 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota. For 71 days, members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and Oglala Lakota residents occupied Wounded Knee to protest treaty violations, poor living conditions, and federal neglect of Indigenous sovereignty. By occupying the site of the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre, activists invoked a powerful symbol of resistance, drawing attention to historic atrocities while shedding light on contemporary issues. The event is widely recognized as a turning point that brought international attention to Indigenous rights. 📸: Bettman Archive / Getty Images. Lakota Spirit