Black Elk was an Oglala Lakota medicine man, healer, and traditional leader who lived from 1863 to 1950. Born near the Little Powder River, he experienced profound spiritual visions during his youth that shaped his role within his community. He participated in the Battle of Little Bighorn and later survived the Wounded Knee Massacre. After touring Europe with Buffalo Bill's Wild West, he returned to the Pine Ridge Reservation, where he became a Catholic catechist. He is widely remembered for sharing his religious experiences and cultural history through recorded interviews.