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Saint Petersburg, FL - The American Indian Movement of Florida (Florida AIM) is sad to announce the passing of longtime Indian rights activist Aaron Two Elk (Oglala Lakota). Aaron passed away Friday evening at Kenneth Stone Hospital in Marietta, GA. Aaron suffered a massive coronary on March 4, 1999 and remained comatose since that time. He had contracted pneumonia while in the hospital.

Mr. Two Elk served as President of Atlanta based Native American Land Struggles (NALS) in Atlanta and was a longtime member of the American Indian Movement. Aaron had worked on struggles for Indigenous rights since he left the service after serving in the Vietnam war in the late 1960's. Aaron was a veteran of many of AIM's actions including the 1972 Trail of Broken Treaties occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs building and the 1973 71-day liberation of Wounded Knee, SD. Aaron was a longtime adviser to the Florida AIM chapter, helping the organization with many of its most successful projects and activities. He was a frequent speaker at Florida AIM events and spoke at both Native American Symposiums at New College, conducted workshops on the mascot issue at Florida State University and spoke at the University of South Florida.

Aaron lead many Indian rights struggles in George including the effort to repatriate remains unearthed at the Dacula site and the struggle to end the stereotypical depiction of Indigenous peoples by the Atlanta baseball team. Aaron, along with Antonio Gonzales, Vernon Bellecourt, and several others had been a driving force behind the success of Florida AIM. Aaron had also developed personal friendships with many Florida AIM organizers over the groups past decade and a half.

Aaron is survived by his wife Debra Nobles, his sons Mike, Richard and Don-Roy. Funeral services will be held Friday at the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Reservation in South Dakota. Florida AIM Executive Director Sheridan Murphy intends to represent the organization at his funeral.