Today in History - Oct 1 - The Dedication of Mt. Rushmore

October 1 is the anniversary of [The Dedication of Mt. Rushmore] in 1925. Construction of the faces of the four war criminals started a few days later by the KKK affiliate Gutzon Borglum.

The mountain its constructed on was known to the Lakota as Six Grandfathers Mountain. It was the most sacred mountain in the sacred Black Hills, lying right in the middle. I've mentioned the Lakota previously in The Grattan Fight, and The Sell or Starve Act, which detailed how the Lakota lost possession of the Black Hills after the US found gold. They tore up the treaty and forcibly relocated the Lakota.

As originally pitched, the mountain was to feature known figures of the west, such as Lewis and Clark, and the Lakota chief Red Cloud. This would have still been unacceptable, but instead, it became a monument to Manifest Destiny and the very people who stole the land in the first place.

The Lakota are still demanding its return to this day. Even the corrupt US courts have ruled that the land was stolen, but only offered monetary compensation. The Lakota have been offered $1.3 billion, but are still no closer to reclaiming their land. American leaders have this to say on the matter:

Do you know it’s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?