Oglala Sioux Tribe opposes Mount Rushmore fireworks event
Tribal leaders cite wildfire risks treaty violations and ongoing federal actions in unanimous vote against July 3 celebration
The Oglala Sioux Tribal Council voted unanimously on June 9 to oppose a planned July 3 fireworks celebration and presidential visit at Mount Rushmore, citing drought conditions, wildfire concerns and longstanding treaty disputes, according to reporting from Native Sun News. In Resolution 26-55, the council urged the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service to cancel the event, warning that fireworks pose "a high risk of wildfires" that could threaten tourists, tribal members, the Black Hills and sacred sites.
The resolution also objected to celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary on land taken from the Sioux under the 1877 Act, according to the Native Sun News reporting. Tribal leaders cited federal actions they said harmed Sioux treaty territory, including pipeline and uranium projects, and raised concerns about Missouri River hydropower benefits and the treatment of Native people by federal immigration authorities. Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out signed the resolution, reaffirming the tribe's position on Sioux land claims. The National Park Service has not announced whether the event would be altered or canceled.
- 1.Ernestine Anunkasan Hopa. OST Council opposes Mount Rushmore fireworks in unanimous vote. Native Sun News, .
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