Sonny Richards

"Sonny was born April 23, 1942, in Kadoka, S.D., to Edison and Gertie (Larvie) Richards. He grew up in Rapid City and was raised by his grandparents, Charles and Angeline Larvie. Sonny was the first world champion men's fancy dancer and constantly dominated men's powwow dancing in the 1960s and 1970s. He was well known for doing trick roping dancing. His unique style of dance and dress changed and influenced the way people viewed powwow dancing and can still be seen today. In 1963 Sonny met his wife, Mary Ann Brown, a Navajo from Ganado, Ariz., when she came to Rapid City to enroll in a nursing program. They married Jan. 25, 1964, and from this union they had five children: Vivian (Mike Quick Bear) of Rapid City, Chuck (Bridgit) of Fort Belvoir, Va., Clement Jr. (Gerri) of Box Elder, and Rosalyn Minor (Lance) of Box Elder. Sonny also has an adopted son, Jason James of Edmonton, Canada... In 1969 Sonny became the first Native American officer in the Rapid City Police Department. Working in community relations, he was minority people's liaison with the justice system. He worked with the police department until 1980 when he took early retirement due to health problems. In the 1980s he was employed as the Title VII Bilingual Education Program home liaison officer with the Rapid City Area Schools. He served as a cultural adviser and linguist. During this time he also was an adviser to the Wicokini Dance Troupe. In the early 1990s, Sonny met screenwriter John Fusco and they became good friends. He assisted John in making three major films by serving as the Lakota cultural adviser for Thunder Heart, Dream Keeper and Hidalgo."