Copy of News Release: April 24, 2003

Department of the Interior, National Park Service
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

For information, contact: Museum Curator Kitty Deernose at (406) 638-3213, 
or Indian Memorial Tribal Liaison Barbara Sutteer at (406) 638-3208

DEDICATION INDIAN MEMORIAL - JUNE 25, 2003

CROW AGENCY, MT - The newly construction Indian Memorial at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument will be officially dedicated on Wednesday, June 25, 2003. The theme for this historic event is “Peace Through Unity”. Events are being planned and hosted by the National Park Service and tribes historically affiliated with the world-famous Battle of the Little Bighorn - Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Crow, and Arikara, according to Superintendent Darrell J. Cook.

The public is invited to join us in honoring Indian participants who fought and died in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, June 25-26, 1876. A private site dedication will be conducted by tribal spiritual and ceremonial leaders from sunrise to 9 a.m. The official dedication program open to the public will be presented from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. An open forum with speakers and presentations is scheduled from 1 p.m. to sunset. Events are free to the public. Entrance fees will be waived on June 24-26.

Completion of the Indian Memorial is the result of years of hard work and support of many. In 1988 descendants of Indian battle participants protested the lack of an Indian Memorial at the national monument. The Memorial was authorized by Congress and approved by former President George Bush in December 1991. Public Law 102-201 renamed Custer Battlefield National Monument as Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, and called for the construction and maintenance of a memorial to recognize Indians who participated in the Battle of Little Bighorn.

The Indian Memorial site selection involved tribal elders Enos Poor Bear Sr., Oglala Sioux, and Austin Two Moons, Northern Cheyenne. In 1994 an Indian Memorial Advisory Committee was appointed by Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt and in 1996 a national design competition was announced. There were 554 designs submitted to the competition and the winning design was selected in 1997.

Early in 2002, funds to build the memorial were approved through an Interior Appropriations Bill supported by Montana U.S. Representative Dennis Rehberg, Montana U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Conrad Burns, and Colorado U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, and signed into law by President George W. Bush.

On June 25th, the Crow Tribe, the local host tribe, will provide additional parking at the tribe’s multi-purpose complex located near Interstate 90 & Highway 212, and shuttle service to and from the national monument. Chairman Carl Venne will host a reception at 6 p.m. at the complex, and the tribe has scheduled a rodeo and horse races at 7 p.m., and a powwow at 9 p.m. For details, call Marvin Dawes or Henry Realbird at (406) 638-3774.

#NPS# Lttle Bighorn Battlefield National Monument P.O. Box 39 Crow Agency MT. 59022-0039

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