The dark history of Mount Rushmore - Ned Blackhawk and Jeffrey D. Means

Summary

Mount Rushmore, carved between 1927 and 1941, sits on sacred Lakota land in the Black Hills, South Dakota. Originally known as the Six Grandfathers, this area was taken from the Lakota after the U.S. broke the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. The monument, featuring four U.S. presidents, represents a history of violence and broken promises towards Indigenous people. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1980 that the land was unlawfully seized, the Lakota continue to reject financial compensation, demanding the land’s return. The debate over the future of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills remains unresolved.

Takeaways

• ⛰️ Mount Rushmore was carved from 1927 to 1941 by 400 workers, who used chisels, jackhammers, and dynamite to remove 450,000 tons of rock.
• 🏞️ The Black Hills, where Mount Rushmore is located, have been sacred to the Lakota people for thousands of years, and they named a peak there 'Six Grandfathers' after their spiritual beliefs.
• 🤝 In the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, the US government promised the Black Hills to the Lakota Nation, but the US broke the treaty after gold was discovered in the area.
• ⛏️ Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor behind Mount Rushmore, had ties to the Ku Klux Klan and rejected including Indigenous figures like Lakota Chief Red Cloud in the monument.
• 🇺🇸 The four US presidents carved into Mount Rushmore (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln) all had controversial and often brutal policies towards Native Americans.
• ⚖️ In 1980, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Black Hills were unlawfully taken from the Lakota, and the Sioux Nation was awarded over a billion dollars in compensation, but they refused the money, insisting the land was not for sale.
• 💰 Mount Rushmore is seen by many as a patriotic symbol and a vital economic driver for South Dakota, drawing nearly 3 million visitors annually.
• 🌄 Many Lakota people and some advocates argue that the Black Hills should be returned to the Lakota, as per the 1868 treaty, or at least co-managed with the US government.
• 💬 There is a wide range of opinions about what should happen to Mount Rushmore, with some calling for its removal and others advocating for its preservation.
• ⏳ The faces on Mount Rushmore are expected to last for thousands of years, symbolizing both a historic achievement and a contested legacy.

Q & A

What methods were used by workers to carve out Mount Rushmore?

Between 1927 and 1941, workers used chisels, jackhammers, and dynamite to blast 450,000 tons of rock from the mountainside.

Why is Mount Rushmore considered to have a dark history?

Mount Rushmore is built on land sacred to the Lakota people, and its construction involved desecrating the Six Grandfathers Mountain, which was significant to them. The monument also commemorates presidents with brutal anti-Indigenous legacies.

What was the significance of the Black Hills to the Lakota people?

The Black Hills were sacred to the Lakota people, who believed one cave within the hills was where they first emerged. One mountain peak, the Six Grandfathers, was named after their sacred directional spirits.

How did the US government violate the 1868 Treaty at Fort Laramie?

The US government violated the 1868 Treaty after an expedition discovered gold in the Black Hills. The US passed legislation illegally seizing the land, despite the treaty guaranteeing it to the Sioux Nation.

Who was Gutzon Borglum, and what was his role in the creation of Mount Rushmore?

Gutzon Borglum was the sculptor who led the creation of Mount Rushmore. He was known for his ties to the KKK and chose to immortalize his own heroes on the monument, rather than the originally proposed figures like Lakota Chief Red Cloud.

What were the unfinished aspects of Mount Rushmore when work stopped in 1941?

By October 1941, when Borglum died, none of the figures had torsos as intended, and rubble was left piled below the monument.

What is the significance of the 1980 Supreme Court ruling regarding the Black Hills?

In 1980, the Supreme Court ruled that the Black Hills had been unlawfully taken from the Sioux Nation, and the Sioux were entitled to compensation, which has since reached over a billion dollars. However, the Sioux Nation refused to accept the money and maintain their claim to the land.

What are the differing views on what should happen to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills?

Some, including tribal leaders, call for the removal of Mount Rushmore, while others view it as an important patriotic symbol. Many Lakota people advocate for the 1868 Treaty to be honored and for the Black Hills to be returned to tribal control, while some suggest co-managing the land with the US.

How has the US government historically treated Indigenous nations regarding land treaties?

The US government has broken many promises to Indigenous nations, often violating treaties or using coercion to create them. Native people have been fighting for the honor of these broken treaties for generations.

How long are the faces on Mount Rushmore expected to remain intact if left untouched?

The faces on Mount Rushmore are expected to remain for thousands of years if left untouched.