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Billy Mills

5 out of 5
3 reviews

Second Native American to Win an Olympic Gold Medal & Co-Founder of Running Strong for American Indian Youth

  Categories:
Activists, Authors, Diversity Speakers, Inspirational Speakers, Motivation, Native American Heritage, Olympics, Personal Growth, Political Speakers, Religion, Speakers by Industry, Sports, Sports Motivation, Track and Field, University Speakers, Virtual Speakers
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Billy Mills Biography

Billy Mills is the only American to have ever won the Olympic gold medal in the 10,000-meter run. A Lakota Sioux raised in one of the poorest communities in America, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, Mills was orphaned as a young boy, facing prejudice and cultural discrimination most of his childhood life. It was through a running scholarship to the University of Kansas that he was able to leave the reservation.

While in college, Mills accepted a commission as an officer in the US Marine Corps, which allowed him to cultivate his winning spirit and rich heritage. He began by running 30 miles a week and eventually worked up to 100 miles every week. Basic training and an excellent track and field program helped Mills qualify for the 1964 Olympics in the 10,000-meter run and the marathon. His victory in the 10,000-meter run is often called one of greatest upsets in Olympic history.

In 1983, Mills' quest for excellence was released on the big screen. Running Brave, starring Robby Benson as Mills, follows his life from childhood through his Olympic victory.

Mills is a national spokesperson for Christian Relief Services and has helped raise over $300 million. He is also the founder of Running Strong for American Indian Youth, an organization that helps Native American youth programs.

Since the 1964 Olympic Games, Mills has become one of the most empowering Olympic speakers on the platform. He has helped thousands of corporations and associations throughout America reach within the depths of their capabilities and perform to the greatest of their potential. Mills has appeared in a number of television commercials and has made numerous appearances on shows such as the Discovery Channel's Ultimate Athlete, HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, and countless other athletic specials. He has also published articles in Visions Magazine, American Athletics Magazine, The College Digest Magazine, and Sports Travel Magazine.

In 1990, Mills published Wokini, Lakota for "new life, a life of peace, and happiness." In it, Mills discusses achieving happiness and urges readers to embark on a personal journey to find satisfaction in life. Wokini blends traditional Native American beliefs with modern therapeutic principles.

His latest work is The City Itself, published in 2017. He has also authored Lares/Manes: Collected Poems (2009) and Imaginary Gardens (2012).

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Billy Mills and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK Billy Mills
Speaking Topics

  • Footprints

  • The Pursuit of Excellence

    Sharing his personal schema for success, Billy Mills explains how he has been able to unleash the passion and energy within himself to achieve phenomenal success in sport and life. Recalling his legendary 10,000 meter run—the greatest upset in Olympic history—he outlines his value-based concept on how dreams come true, a system which continues to inspire thousands of individuals across America today.

  • Global Unity

    Our world is changing: entire governments have been dismantled, new governments created, existing governments redesigned, universities re-engineered, and businesses reconstructed. Billy Mills shares what remains constant in our ever-changing world and explains how this consistency is our key to global unity.

    He takes his audience on a compassionate and powerful journey through time, weaving stories of his young life as an orphaned Native American child living in poverty and coming face to face with racism, and explains that it was the daily choices he made in life, not just the talent he possessed, that led to his quest for Olympic glory.

    In this powerful presentation, Mills explains that it is the journey, not the destination, that shapes us as individuals and unites us as a people.

Videos
BOOK Billy Mills
Books
The City Itself

The City Itself

Imaginary Gardens

Imaginary Gardens

Lares / Manes: Collected Poems

Lares / Manes: Collected Poems

Lessons of a Lakota: A Young Man's Journey to Happiness and Self-understanding

Lessons of a Lakota: A Young Man's Journey to Happiness and Self-understanding

FAQs

  • HOW TO BOOK Billy Mills?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Billy Mills for both live and virtual events for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Billy Mills, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Billy Mills or any other celebrity of your choice.

  • HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BOOK Billy Mills?

    Booking fees for Billy Mills, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies between live and virtual events. Other factors that can affect speaker fees include the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The live and virtual event speaking fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Billy Mills, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

  • WHO IS THE AGENT FOR Billy Mills?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Billy Mills for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Billy Mills for your next private or corporate function.

  • WHAT IS A FULL-SERVICE TALENT BOOKING AGENCY?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Billy Mills or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Billy Mills or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
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Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

Users also viewed these speakers:

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Billy Mills

5 out of 5
3 reviews

Second Native American to Win an Olympic Gold Medal & Co-Founder of Running Strong for American Indian Youth

Travels From:
Sacramento, CA, USA
Speaking Fee:
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000
Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000
More Fee Info
Categories:
Activists, Authors, Diversity Speakers, Inspirational Speakers, Motivation, Native American Heritage, Olympics, Personal Growth, Political Speakers, Religion, Speakers by Industry, Sports, Sports Motivation, Track and Field, University Speakers, Virtual Speakers

Billy Mills Biography

Billy Mills is the only American to have ever won the Olympic gold medal in the 10,000-meter run. A Lakota Sioux raised in one of the poorest communities in America, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, Mills was orphaned as a young boy, facing prejudice and cultural discrimination most of his childhood life. It was through a running scholarship to the University of Kansas that he was able to leave the reservation.

While in college, Mills accepted a commission as an officer in the US Marine Corps, which allowed him to cultivate his winning spirit and rich heritage. He began by running 30 miles a week and eventually worked up to 100 miles every week. Basic training and an excellent track and field program helped Mills qualify for the 1964 Olympics in the 10,000-meter run and the marathon. His victory in the 10,000-meter run is often called one of greatest upsets in Olympic history.

In 1983, Mills' quest for excellence was released on the big screen. Running Brave, starring Robby Benson as Mills, follows his life from childhood through his Olympic victory.

Mills is a national spokesperson for Christian Relief Services and has helped raise over $300 million. He is also the founder of Running Strong for American Indian Youth, an organization that helps Native American youth programs.

Since the 1964 Olympic Games, Mills has become one of the most empowering Olympic speakers on the platform. He has helped thousands of corporations and associations throughout America reach within the depths of their capabilities and perform to the greatest of their potential. Mills has appeared in a number of television commercials and has made numerous appearances on shows such as the Discovery Channel's Ultimate Athlete, HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, and countless other athletic specials. He has also published articles in Visions Magazine, American Athletics Magazine, The College Digest Magazine, and Sports Travel Magazine.

In 1990, Mills published Wokini, Lakota for "new life, a life of peace, and happiness." In it, Mills discusses achieving happiness and urges readers to embark on a personal journey to find satisfaction in life. Wokini blends traditional Native American beliefs with modern therapeutic principles.

His latest work is The City Itself, published in 2017. He has also authored Lares/Manes: Collected Poems (2009) and Imaginary Gardens (2012).

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Billy Mills and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK Billy Mills

Billy Mills Speaking Topics

  • Footprints

  • The Pursuit of Excellence

    Sharing his personal schema for success, Billy Mills explains how he has been able to unleash the passion and energy within himself to achieve phenomenal success in sport and life. Recalling his legendary 10,000 meter run—the greatest upset in Olympic history—he outlines his value-based concept on how dreams come true, a system which continues to inspire thousands of individuals across America today.

  • Global Unity

    Our world is changing: entire governments have been dismantled, new governments created, existing governments redesigned, universities re-engineered, and businesses reconstructed. Billy Mills shares what remains constant in our ever-changing world and explains how this consistency is our key to global unity.

    He takes his audience on a compassionate and powerful journey through time, weaving stories of his young life as an orphaned Native American child living in poverty and coming face to face with racism, and explains that it was the daily choices he made in life, not just the talent he possessed, that led to his quest for Olympic glory.

    In this powerful presentation, Mills explains that it is the journey, not the destination, that shapes us as individuals and unites us as a people.

Billy Mills Videos

  • Native American Olympic Stories: Billy Mills & Bob Wheeler
    Native American Olympic Stories: Billy Mills & Bob Wheeler
    A live broadcast roundtable with Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills & Jim Thorpe Biographer Robert Wheeler, in a conversation led by Nedra Darling,...
  • Billy Mills Virtual Address for Students
    Billy Mills Virtual Address for Students
  • Footprints | Billy Mills | TEDxYale
    Footprints | Billy Mills | TEDxYale
    Billy uses his story of overcoming the odds at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and his experiences with Running Strong to illuminate lessons about ...
See All Videos »

Billy Mills Books

The City Itself
The City Itself
Imaginary Gardens
Imaginary Gardens
Lares / Manes: Collected Poems
Lares / Manes: Collected Poems
Lessons of a Lakota: A Young Man's Journey to Happiness and Self-understanding
Lessons of a Lakota: A Young Man's Journey to Happiness and Self-understanding

Speaker Lists Featuring Billy Mills

BIPOC Speakers

BIPOC Speakers

BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous and people of color. The term is intended to foster solidarity among Black, Indigenous and communities of color, and to include everyone's voice in the fight for inclusivity and equality....

Inspirational Native American Speakers

Influential Native American Speakers

Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives have a long and important history in America. As authors, poets, actors, activists, and entrepreneurs, the inspirational Native American speakers in this list celebrate...

Browse All Keynote Speaker Lists »

FAQs on booking Billy Mills

  • How to book Billy Mills?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Billy Mills for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Billy Mills, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Billy Mills or any other celebrity of your choice.

  • How much does it cost to book Billy Mills?

    Booking fees for Billy Mills, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies between live and virtual events. Other factors that can affect speaker fees include the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The live and virtual event speaking fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Billy Mills, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

  • Who is the agent for Billy Mills?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Billy Mills for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Billy Mills for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service talent booking agency?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Billy Mills or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Billy Mills or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.

Billy Mills is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Footprints, The Pursuit of Excellence and Global Unity. The estimated speaking fee range to book Billy Mills for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Billy Mills generally travels from Sacramento, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Gyasi Ross, Winona LaDuke, Shane Ortega, Rudy Ruettiger and Carrie Billy. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Billy Mills for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK Billy Mills

Billy Mills Speaking Topics

  • Footprints

  • The Pursuit of Excellence

    Sharing his personal schema for success, Billy Mills explains how he has been able to unleash the passion and energy within himself to achieve phenomenal success in sport and life. Recalling his legendary 10,000 meter run—the greatest upset in Olympic history—he outlines his value-based concept on how dreams come true, a system which continues to inspire thousands of individuals across America today.

  • Global Unity

    Our world is changing: entire governments have been dismantled, new governments created, existing governments redesigned, universities re-engineered, and businesses reconstructed. Billy Mills shares what remains constant in our ever-changing world and explains how this consistency is our key to global unity.

    He takes his audience on a compassionate and powerful journey through time, weaving stories of his young life as an orphaned Native American child living in poverty and coming face to face with racism, and explains that it was the daily choices he made in life, not just the talent he possessed, that led to his quest for Olympic glory.

    In this powerful presentation, Mills explains that it is the journey, not the destination, that shapes us as individuals and unites us as a people.

Billy Mills Speaker Videos

  • Native American Olympic Stories: Billy Mills & Bob Wheeler
    Native American Olympic Stories: Billy Mills & Bob Wheeler
    A live broadcast roundtable with Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills & Jim Thorpe Biographer Robert Wheeler, in a conversation led by Nedra Darling, co-founder of Bright Path Strong.
    Billy Mills Virtual Address for Students
    Billy Mills Virtual Address for Students
  • Footprints | Billy Mills | TEDxYale
    Footprints | Billy Mills | TEDxYale
    Billy uses his story of overcoming the odds at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and his experiences with Running Strong to illuminate lessons about ...
    Billy Mills: ​The Wings of an Eagle
    Billy Mills: ​The Wings of an Eagle
    Prior to his September lecture at the University of New England, Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills discussed losing his mother at a very young age, discovering his passion for running, and turning...
  • Billy Mills 10000 Meter Gold Medal
    Billy Mills 10000 Meter Gold Medal
    Billy Mills describes how he used the law of attraction to achieve his goal at the 1964 Olympics. This is just a small insight into the mental ...
BOOK Billy Mills

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Speakers Similar to Billy Mills

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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