Bryan V. Brewer was president of the

Oglala Sioux Tribe The Oglala (pronounced , meaning "to scatter one's own" in Lakota language) are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people who, along with the Dakota, make up the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires). A majority of the Oglala live o ...

from 2012 to 2014.

Issues

Brewer has tried to end illegal

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

sales near the reservation border, even joining a 2013 protest against alcohol sales in Whiteclay just outside the tribal borders. Brewer, along with

Debra White Plume Debra White Plume ( lkt, Wioweya Najin Win, August 20, 1954 – November 10, 2020) was a Lakota political activist and water protector. She fought to protect the traditional Oglala Lakota way of life. Biography White Plume was born and raise ...

and other activists, formed a blockade to stop beer trucks from entering Whiteclay. Brewer was arrested on an unrelated warrant during the protests, but vowed to continue fighting against alcohol sales. He also argued against lifting Pine Ridge's prohibition on alcohol.

Controversies

In June 2014, Brewer was suspended and considered for

impeachment Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In ...

by the tribal council for signing contracts without council approval and for mishandling a $5,000 donation. However, he was acquitted; in July, the council voted to not remove him and to not suspend him without pay.

Post-presidency

In 2020, during the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

pandemic, he argued in favor of the checkpoints that the Oglala put up after South Dakota governor Kristi Noem demanded they be taken down.

Personal Information

Brewer was born in

Pine Ridge, South Dakota Pine Ridge (Lakota: ''wazíbló'') is a census-designated place (CDP) and the most populous community in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,138 at the 2020 census. It is the tribal headquarters of the Oglala S ...

on the

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation ( lkt, Wazí Aháŋhaŋ Oyáŋke), also called Pine Ridge Agency, is an Oglala Lakota Indian reservation located entirely within the U.S. state of South Dakota. Originally included within the territory of the Gr ...

. Brewer founded the popular

Lakota Nation Invitational The Lakota Nation Invitational is an annual multi-sport event tournament held each winter that began in 1976. The event takes place in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City and hosts around 40 different schools from Indian Reservations in So ...

event. He is a veteran of the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

References

Living people Native American leaders Oglala people Year of birth missing (living people) {{NorthAm-native-bio-stub