Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

New England - The Leonard Peltier Support Group of Greater New England (LPSG/GNE) announces a special benefit at the Iron Horse Music Hall on Thursday, September 30, 1999 to help free Native American political prisoner, Leonard Peltier. The benefit is from 7:00 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. with performances by Black Rebels; Gaia Roots; Electric Blue and the Kosmic Truth. There will also be performances between sets by Heartsong, Mimi Whitcomb and Paul Burton. Leaders of the American Indian Movement (AIM), Springfield, MA area, will offer a special presentation during the evening, including an opening ceremony, drum, song and their perspective of the incident at Oglala relating to Leonard Peltier and AIM.

The benefit at the Iron Horse Music Hall was supported in part by a grant from the New Society Educational Foundation. NSEF supports a vision of a new society based on the essential unity of all people and is deeply rooted in the long tradition of nonviolent social change.

The main purpose of the benefit is to support the campaigns to help free Leonard Peltier from prison. He has been incarcerated for more than twenty-three years, although the prosecutors admit that they have no evidence linking Peltier to the actual 1975 shooting of two FBI agents. To share more details on this case and to support Leonard Peltier's petition for executive clemency, the LPSG/GNE is inviting all to a legal demonstration and educational forum on October 12, 1999 in front of the Federal Building at 1550 Main Street in Springfield.

The Iron Horse benefit for Leonard Peltier will be a celebration and hopefully a revival of an earlier vision of cooperation and goodwill for America. Therefore, the LPSG/GNE is supporting the replacement of the name of the holiday on October 12 from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.

LPSG/GNE benefits, meetings and events:

September 16, 1999, Thursday, -- Fire and Water Cafe, Northampton -- 7:30 meeting 9:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M Performances by The Chaz Trio; Stasia

September 30, Thursday Iron Horse, 7:00-1:00 A.M. (Admission price is $10 in advance; $12 at the door) Black Rebels; Gaia Roots; Electric Blue and the Kosmic Truth (Plus mini-sets by Heartsong; Mimi Whitcomb; Paul Burton) American Indian Movement Presentation

October 9, Saturday -- Java Hut Cafe, Sunderland -- 7:00 P.M. meeting 9:00 P.M. open mike (sign up at 7pm, 2 songs for individuals, 3 songs otherwise)

October 12, Tuesday 1550 Main Street, Springfield (outside Federal Building) 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. Speakers and literature will be presented for a legal educational forum on the day that should become "Indigenous Peoples Day" (not Christopher Columbus Day)