Billy Mills

Billy Mills was born on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. Orphaned by the age of 12, he attended Haskell Indian boarding school in Lawrence, Kansas, and began running in order to train for boxing. He developed a love for running and earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.

A scholarship to the University of Kansas in 1959 gave Mills an opportunity to leave the reservation and pursue the thing he loved the most. Running while in college, he suffered feeling of alienation and low self-esteem brought about by being alone in a white world.
As a result, he performed far below his potential.

Shattered by self doubt, struggling with feelings of rejection because of his race, Billy nearly lost any and all sense of purpose.

In a state of emotional disarray, and recognizing that he must put his life together, Billy accepts a commission as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps'. It was the Marine Corps' recognizing Billy's talents and rich heritage that empowered his sense of self-worth. His competitive and winning spirit was restored. The discipline and focus he learned in the Marines changed the course of his life. Through the acceptance by his peers and the camaraderie he encountered, Billy Mills learned that he "belonged."

Over the next two years, he increased his weekly mileage from 30 to 100 miles per week. Basic training, plus an excellent track and field program, helped Mills qualify for the 1964 Olympic Games.

Billy made the 1964 Olympic team in two events: the 10,000 meters and the marathon. Prior to the 1964 Olympic Games, no American had ever won the Gold Medal in the 10,000 meters.

Billy overcame these odds and won the Gold Medal in the 10,000 Meter Run. His victory is considered one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, and some have stated that his performance at Tokyo was the greatest achievement in modern times.

Billy Mills set an American and Olympic record of 28:24.4, a mark all the more extraordinary because he ran 46 seconds faster than his previous personal best.

Since the 1964 Olympics, Billy Mills has shared how he pursued excellence in the world of sports with corporations, associations, universities, and schools. He has inspired thousands of individuals globally to reach within the depths of their capabilities and perform to the greatest of their potential to the betterment of human kind. Mills also speaks about the important role his wife, Pat, has played in support and encouragement through difficult years, and how she was instrumental in his Olympic victory..." The pace nearly broke me and I was full of self-doubts... I kept thinking that if I had to quit, I wasn't going to do it in front of the area where Pat was sitting... I'd do it at the other end of the field." Lap after lap he pressed on, exhibiting the strength that came from the lessons he learned early in life.

Billy is National Spokesperson for Christian Relief Services. As their National Spokesperson he has helped raise over 300 million dollars in-kind and cash over the past 11 years. Running Strong for American Indian Youth is one part of the organization that helps our aspiring Native American Youth programs.

Billy holds five Honorary Doctorate degrees. One in Reservation Education, from Oglala Lakota College, South Dakota (1987), One in Education from Centenary College, New Jersey (1992). His third is an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from St. Olaf College, Minnesota (1996). In 1993 his alma mater, the University of Kansas, awarded him their Citation for Distinguished Service, the highest award given to their alumni. His fourth Honorary Doctorate is Doctor of Humanities from Utah State University (1999).  The fifth Doctorate is Doctor of Business Management from Huron University (2001).

In 1983, Billy Mills' quest for personal excellence was released on the big screen. Running Brave, starring Robby Benson as Billy, follows Billy from childhood through college, ending with his 1964 victory at Tokyo.

Billy is also the author of "Wokini, A Lakota Journey to Happiness and Self - Understanding". This book, first published in 1991 is in its ninth printing world-wide. The co-author is Nicholas Sparks, best-selling author of "The Notebook", "Message in a Bottle", and "A Walk to Remember". In" Wokini", Billy writes that he learned positive attributes from his father, who encouraged him to find and explore positive desires, to be self- motivated and to be prepared to work to achieve personal goals.