Back in 1998, Andy Kessler and I were trying to come up with a name for a hardcore skate company. When Andy said,”what about Wounded Knee?” We both realized that would be heavy, and we also felt that this would be a great opportunity to educate people about true native history thru our skateboard graphics and informative inserts. We had a vision of someday giving back to the Lakota nation, in memory of those who died in the wounded knee massacre of 1890, a series of skateparks on the pine ridge rez for the Lakota youth. We knew this could enliven a cultural youth movement on the rez thru the arts, film, photography and music that skateboarding got us both swept into in the 1970s,and now this vision of ours is coming true. We will be building our 1st Concrete Wounded Knee four directions skatepark in pine ridge this summer with the financial support of Jeff Ament and Pearl jam, the Tony Hawk Foundation and Steve VanDoren from vans. Though Kessler is gone to the next level, his spirit and vision still lives in this project and all future projects involving the Wounded Knee Four Directions Skatepark Program, which is a program of The Stronhold Society, a 501c3 non profit organization. The profits from his board sales will help us get boards to kids so they can skate these parks on the rez, and also to support contests and art projects that will surround the skatepark scene! As long as I’m alive, this Kess shape will always be in the line up, with new inspirational art concepts relating to Andy. This graphic was done by Walt Pourier from a photo by Ivory Serra which was taken in the streets of NYC!! Plus, having a 10″x34″deck in the the Wounded Knee line-up can only make us look tougher!(Right Kess?) So, if your gonna ride this board, do it with style (get Indy’s) and have fun because that is what Andy Kessler is all about!
Jim Murphy