Storytime for Kids | Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills

Join us this National Native American Heritage Month in welcoming Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills for a special reading of his autobiographical picture book, Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills. In Wings of an Eagle, Mills shares the inspiring story of how, after growing up an orphan on the Oglala Lakota Pine Ridge Reservation, he overcame countless challenges to achieve his dream of being an Olympian.

Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills is available for purchase in the Museum Store.

Tickets for Storytime for Kids | Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills are available as follows:

• Walt’s Circle Donors: Purchase tickets beginning Tuesday, October 8 at noon by emailing membership@wdfmuseum.org.
• Founding, Supporter, and Friend-level members: Purchase tickets beginning Wednesday, October 9 at noon by emailing membership@wdfmuseum.org.
• All member levels: Purchase tickets online beginning Thursday, October 10 at noon via the Member Portal.
• Public (non-members): Remaining tickets available online beginning Friday, October 11 at noon.

Upgrade your membership to receive priority access to purchase tickets. Membership dues and Walt's Circle donations may be paid as monthly installments or as a one-time annual payment. For more information, please email the Membership Department at membership@wdfmuseum.org.

Billy Mills (born June 30, 1938) is a member of the Oglala Lakota Tribal Nation and is also known by his Lakota name TAMAKOCE TE’HILA, which translates to “Loves His Country” or more traditionally “Respects the Earth”.

He is an Olympic gold medalist in the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. His Olympic victory is considered one of the greatest sports moments of all time. He remains the only athlete from the Western Hemisphere to win the Olympic 10,000-meter race.

Mills was orphaned at an early age; his mother joining their ancestors when he was eight years old and his father when he was 12 years old.

Before his father passed, he told Mills, “You have broken wings, son, and it takes a dream to heal. Find your dream and it will take you down a path introducing you to your passions in life. Find your passion, develop your skills to equal your passion, and magic can happen! One or more of the magical things you do in life just may be looked upon as a miracle, son.”

Inspired by his father’s teachings, Mills’ life is based upon dreams and the resilience of his ancestors. His Great-grandfather, BB Mills—an Englishman—was requested by Chief Red Cloud to become the first Indian agent at the Red Cloud agency, which is today the Oglala Lakota Tribal Nations’ headquarters. The US Government refused this request, claiming that because BB Mills spoke fluent Lakota, is married to a Lakota woman, and had five Lakota children, it would be hard to strip the children of everything Lakota to save the child. Shortly afterwards, BB Mills died.

When Crazy Horse surrendered in 1875, riding into Fort Robinson with him were his warriors, the elderly men, women, and children, followed by their supply train. Walking with them was Sally Bush Mills—Billy’s great grandmother—and her five children. One of those children was Ben Mills, Billy’s grandfather.

Their resilience and their footprints are present in Mills’ journey today as National Spokesperson for Running Strong for American Indian Youth, which Mills co-founded in 1986.