BRING LEONARD PELTIER HOME 2012 CONCERT

Friday, December 14 – Beacon Theatre NYC

Hosted by Harry Belafonte and Pete Seeger

Featuring Performances by Jackson Browne,

Bruce Cockburn, Jennifer Kreisberg, Bill Miller, Margo Thunderbird

Guest speakers include Author Peter Matthiesson, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, Actor Peter Coyote and Former Amnesty International President Jack Healey

On Friday, December 14, 2012, The Beacon Theatre will host a diverse, devoted and distinguished line up of North American musicians to sing for freedom for LEONARD PELTIER, a celebrated Native American activist and humanitarian imprisoned since the mid Seventies for his involvement with controversial incidents at Wounded Knee and Oglala, South Dakota, including the shooting deaths of two FBI agents. Robert Redford’s 1992 documentary Incident at Oglala tells Peltier’s story.

This all-star concert is a multi-cultural event intended to raise awareness to Peltier’s 37-year ordeal and plea for clemency. Civil Rights icon Harry Belafonte will join Pete Seeger to co-host performances by Jackson Browne, Bruce Cockburn, Native American singers Bill Miller and Jennifer Kreisberg among others. Seeger, who also will be performing, says the event is the blessing he’s long been waiting for.

These musicians will be joined by a number of notable speakers including actor Peter Coyote and American author Peter Matthiesson, who wrote In The Spirit Of Crazy Horse, the Peltier story, and The Snow Leopard. Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, the former Middleweight Boxer who spent 22 years in jail for a crime he did not commit and became an advocate for the wrongfully imprisoned, will speak for Peltier.  Carter was the subject of the Denzel Washington film, The Hurricane and the song by Bob Dylan, “Hurricane.” Former Amnesty International President Jack Healey, of Human Rights Action Center in Washington, will speak about the many human rights violations in Peltier’s case. Tom Poor Bear, vice president of the Oglala Sioux tribe, Bill Means of the American Indian Movement and Dorothy Ninham of the LPDOC will also discuss the case.

A beautiful short film that includes Carlos Santana and others voicing their support will be screened followed by a song recorded by singing duo Bear and the Willow.

Peltier was convicted for the deaths of two FBI agents during a 1975 shoot-out on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and has been imprisoned since 1976. Many around the world question whether he has received justice. Peltier has been designated a political prisoner by Amnesty International. Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, the late Mother Theresa, the Dalai Lama, 55 Members of Congress and others — including a Federal judge who sat as a member of the court in two of Peltier’s appeals— have all called for his immediate release. He has been nominated six consecutive years for the Nobel Peace Prize – all from behind bars.

This one-time-only event is a rare opportunity to gather with traditional Native American artists and singers, including an opening prayer by Navajo Len Foster, opening song by Wisconsin Oneida singers Buddy and Geronimo Powless and Gina Buenrostro. The Canadian Cree drum group Eagleheart Singers will join with Mashpee Wampanoag drum groupWakeby Lake Singers to perform traditional honoring songs for Peltier. Both groups have been singing for Freedom for Peltier since the Seventies, often together.

Tuscarora Jennifer Kreisberg has contributed to several movie soundtracks and sung back-up for Bonnie Raitt, Richie Havens and Jackson Browne. Formerly a member of the group Ulali, Kreisberg is a mainstay of the Native American music scene as is Mohican singer Bill Miller of Wisconsin. Miller has toured with Pearl Jam, Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie and many others.

Leonard Peltier is an accomplished author and artist, also known for his humanitarian achievements from behind bars. In 2009, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the sixth consecutive year. Peltier also has been awarded the Human Rights Commission of Spain International Human Rights Prize (1986); North Star Frederick Douglas Award (1993); Federation of Labour (Ontario, Canada) Humanist of the Year Award (2003); Silver Arrow Award for Lifetime Achievement (2004); First Red Nation Humanitarian Award (2009); Kwame Ture Lifetime Achievement Award (2010); Fighters for Justice Award (2010); and First International Human Rights Prize, Mario Benedetti Foundation (2011).

“Mr. Peltier’s human and constitutional rights have been violated many times,” says Dorothy Ninham of the Wisconsin Oneida Nation, one of the concert organizers, and President of the Board of the LPDOC. “We speak as much for him, as with him. Each step we take to New York is a prayer. Our prayers will be answered when President Obama commutes Leonard’s sentence. It’s time for Leonard to go home.”

TICKET INFORMATION:

Showtime: 7:30pm. Tickets, priced at $35, $55, $75, $125 (incl. $5 facility fee) are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com by calling 866-858-0008 and in person at Beacon Theatre, Radio City Music Hall and MSG Box Offices.  100% of net proceeds benefit Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee.

For more information about Leonard Peltier, visit:

Website: http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

Facebook link:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Leonard-Peltier-Defense-Offense-Committee/115962128445031

Fact sheet about Leonard’s case:

http://www.freeleonard.org/case/index.html