Bright Raven
Well-known member
The debate about Confederate Memorials reminded me of the Crow grievances over the National Cemetery on the Crow Reservation.
When I inspected the Absaloka Mine (The Absaloka Mine is a 10,427 acre permitted, single-pit surface mine complex located on the Crow Indian Reservation) in the early 1980s, the battlefield was known as The Custer National Cemetery. I had duties that involved me in the Crow Administration. Once they trusted me, they freely expressed their grievances about not being recognized in the Memorial.
The Battle of Little Bighorn occurred on June 25–26, 1876 near the Little Bighorn River, Crow Indian Reservation, Big Horn County, Montana. The Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho won that battle but the Memorial only recognized the US Troops. The Crow are very proud of those two days in their history.
Originally, on 29 January 1879, The Secretary of War preserved the site as a U.S. National Cemetery, to protect graves of the 7th Cavalry troopers buried there. Then on 7 December 1886, the site was proclaimed "National Cemetery of Custer's Battlefield Reservation". The name was shortened to "Custer National Cemetery."
On 1 July 1940: The site was transferred from the United States Department of War to the National Park Service.
22 March 1946: The site was redesignated "Custer Battlefield National Monument."
15 October 1966: The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
FINALLY, ON
10 December 1991: The site was renamed Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument by a law signed by then President George H. W. Bush.
Today, the Memorial now recognizes the victory.
The bill that changed the name of the national monument also called for an "Indian Memorial" to be built near Last Stand Hill.
Markers honoring the Indians who fought at Little Big Horn, including Crazy Horse, have been added to those of the U.S. troops. On Memorial Day, 1999, the first of five red granite markers denoting where warriors fell during the battle were placed on the battlefield for Cheyenne warriors Lame White Man and Noisy Walking.